Does a lot of spicy food burn your stomach lining?
My wife is Korean and she is trying to convince me that the extremely hot traditional food of her country is actually healthy. Of course, Koreans eat a lot of vegetables which are healthy, but I learned that too much spice (ex: the red spice they use on almost every dish!!) is not good for you. Who’s right? Do Asians have some better knowledge of food health than Western people do? Or is it just that crappy quality spices (like most Western fast food) damage your stomach?
June 29th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
asian food for as long as i can remember has been one of the healthiest diets nutritionally and proportionally. you can always cut down on the spiciness…much like when you order chinese food and ask for mild, medium or hot. the entire flavor of the food does not exist just in the spiciness, there are other spices that will be enough. just tell her to tone down the spiciness and take it accordingly.
June 29th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
i have never had my stomach burn and i like to eat alot of spicy food even when i had a mexican friend and her mom always had spicy food my stomach lining didnt feel like it was burning lol so it might just be the cheap spicy stuff
June 29th, 2010 at 11:36 pm
in some of my experiences it was not my stomach that was burning………….
June 30th, 2010 at 12:00 am
It’s a very common myth that spicy food will destroy your mucosal lining. But it really is just a myth. Now, if you have a stomach ulcer, spicy foods will certainly aggravate it (which may feel like a burning sensation). Also, if you are sensitive to spicy foods, it may increase your stomachs natural acid production and cause things like heartburn. But no, spicy food itself will not damage you in any way.
June 30th, 2010 at 12:25 am
Hun, I think you were told an Urban Legend. Spicy food is definetly healthy for you. So eat up! And enjoy the delicious and authentic Korean cooking!
June 30th, 2010 at 12:46 am
Absolutely,,,,,,Its really cool!
June 30th, 2010 at 12:47 am
i’m asain but not korean.i’m vietnamese.in my country ..they say that to much spicey foods aren’t good for you.If you have a sore throat..if you eat something spicy your throat will hurt more.but if you eat way to much you’ll grow pimples.i myself love spicy foods..but i just eat a bit a week.spicy foods are good & all..but you can’t eat to much.its not healthy at all.if you had seen pinples on your wifes face..you have to tell her to stop eating to much spicy foods.if she doesn’t eat any spicy foods in a month or two…her face will change.the pimples will be gone.my sister eats more spicy foods more then me..& she tunrs out having more then 5 pimples.& thats alot.i don’t have any.but preteens like me have tiny bumps.but while preteens get older..they start getting pimples if they eat to much spicy food.just tell your wife to eat 2 spicy foods a week.that will help alot.
June 30th, 2010 at 1:20 am
Too much spice isnt good. It also depends HOW spicy it is. You can develop an stomach ulcer…which is when holes are in your stomach lining. You definitely dont want that.
June 30th, 2010 at 1:36 am
I am a former chef and love all kinds of spicey foods, the hotter the better, I eat it 4 times a week and I am not of an ethnic origin that was raised on it (my family are all WASP’S, and not the bug).
In fact the spice in food is good for your stomach and blood and digestive system, it aids in the foods breaking down and enzyme triggered by the capsasin, are beneficial, I have eaten food from around the world from the hottest curry known to man, “Phal” in the UK, to chili laced foods in Thailand and Singapore were I worked, not to forget my stint in Montego Bay Jamaica, and stops on my way back to the hotel and picking up something at one of the many Jerk Huts along the road back, they make the hot sauce there buy grinding scotch bonnet peppers, scalloins, garlic, salt and a bit of vinegar to slather on the jerk meat to eat either alone or in a sandwich.
Like the one lady said it is the acids in the food that would affect someone with a stomach ulcer not the food, and it does not burn your stomach, some of the undigested seeds can cause some discomfort on exiting your body. I go through a bottle of Jamaican Hot sauce a week, I use it on everything but my cereal and in my coffee, last week I purchase to more fire breathing ingredients, a container of Thai Chili flakes (800,000 on Scoville Scale) and today in the mail, I recieved my Red Savina Habenero Hot Sauce (1,500,000 on the Scovillie Scale) both will knock for a loop if not prepared, I am now waiting for my Noko Jolokia pepper flakes (3,000,000 Scoville units).