Spicy Foods Avoidance

Avoiding spicy foods is not the same as avoiding spices.  For example, there are 'non-spicy' spices in ice cream (vanilla), donuts (cassia or cinnamon), tomato sauce (allspice), cheesecake (nutmeg) and doner kebabs (sumac).  Spices with 'hot' tastes, which are to be avoided for some conditions, include chili, pepper, or horseradish.  It is easy to avoid these and still have wonderfully flavorful food.

Why it is Recommended

Adverse reactions to spicy foods include:

• burning mouth
• runny nose
• itching
• watery eyes
• digestive problems
• abdominal pain
• diarrhea
• rapid or irregular heartbeat
• high blood pressure
• sweating
• flushing
• increased body temperature

Those suffering from the following medical conditions should avoid spicy foods:

• Hypertension and cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease.  Capsaicin can cause a dramatic increase in circulating blood volume and rapid heartbeat, which in turn can lead to acute heart failure or sudden cardiac death.  It also hinders recovery from cardiovascular disease.
• Chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers or esophagitis.  The irritation caused by capsaicin can lead to hyperemia (excess organ blood flow), inflammation, and even erosion of the gastric mucosa.  The contents of the stomach and intestines may move faster, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea.  Digestive function may be impaired.
• Chronic cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation) or gallstones.  Spicy foods can irritate an already-inflamed gallbladder, worsening the symptoms of gallbladder inflammation and irritation.
• Chronic pancreatitis. Many patients with chronic pancreatitis tolerate fatty and spicy foods poorly.
• Hemorrhoids Although spicy foods do not cause hemorrhoids, they can increase irritation and pain during flare-ups.