People who love freshly ground black pepper should not panic when reading this article. Taken in moderation, black pepper has mainly positive effects on our body, providing it with the trace minerals chromium and vanadium. Vanadium is being investigated because it might be beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes, as it can lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, which is why one study showed it involved patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the research is in its early stages, so nothing definitive can be said about vanadium and its health benefits.

The bell peppers that can be harmful are the red ones, the red chillies and the cayenne in particular that contain capsaicin. This substance is sometimes found in ointments used to relieve skin irritations and pain in joints and muscles affected by arthritis and rheumatism. Capsaicin is a spicy substance that gives chili peppers their bite and is used in medicine because it blocks pain signals to the brain. However, if this substance comes into contact with the skin, it will likely cause a burning sensation and may damage the cornea of ​​the eye, as it is an irritant. It may have antimicrobial and antioxidant effects, but research is still ongoing.

Capsaicin can cause an increase in stomach acids, so people with excess should avoid eating red bell peppers or their derivatives. Capsaicin should not be taken with aspirin, as it increases the risk of bleeding associated with it. If you are using theophylline for asthma, you should avoid capsaicin, as it can increase theophylline in the body to toxic levels. Also, if you are taking blood thinners or ACE inhibitors, avoid capsaicin.

However, if you’re a healthy person, a few chilies here and there in moderation won’t hurt. However, if you eat too many or participate in chili-eating competitions, it is likely to irritate your stomach and could lead to peptic ulcers. Research is underway to find out if capsaicin can help fight obesity, since eating chili peppers appears to increase the body’s heat production for a short time. This can help regulate blood sugar levels by helping to break down carbohydrates eaten at a meal.

People who are allergic to kiwis, bananas, chestnuts, and avocados may also be allergic to cayenne pepper and chili peppers.

In some people, spicy food containing chili peppers, cayenne pepper, and black pepper along with other spices, may cause acid reflux, which is not fatal or dangerous, just annoying and belching; this is the body’s way of telling you that it cannot handle spicy food well. Chronic acid reflux disease can, in rare cases, lead to esophageal cancer. If you suffer this way after eating spicy foods, cut back on spices, especially at night, as acid reflux can also erode teeth.

Eating spicy foods, including chili peppers, can lead to insomnia, as well as affect your taste buds’ ability to distinguish between different flavors. There is also an ailment known as geographic tongue, which is rapid irritation of the tongue after eating very hot and spicy foods, causing strange patterns to form on the tongue and can weaken the sense of taste for up to a month. This is clearly not life-threatening, but it can be annoying.

Bell peppers are good for us if we are healthy people, but if you take any supplements that contain cayenne or chilli derivatives, you should consult your health care provider before taking them. In fact, this advice applies to all supplements that can be purchased without a prescription. Common sense is necessary so you don’t overdo it with pepper, but in moderation, it’s unlikely to do you any harm.