Hello Babs! As you know, us Brummies love a bit of spice and to be honest, so does the rest of the UK. But we keep coming back to that question, is hot sauce actually bad for you? Especially when it tastes so good! Well, I am here to answer that for you and clear up a few little things. (Spoiler alert, there are a lot of health benefits!)
I have made our hot sauce for many years, all by hand and using natural ingredients, so I think I know a thing or two about what goes into making the best hot sauce out there, both in terms of taste and quality of ingredients.
So let's not mess around anymore and find out if hot sauce is really bad for you.
Debunking the Myth
So we all know that bloke that picks the hottest of hot curries, drinks 15 pints on a Saturday night and then complains of heartburn at work on a Monday morning. It's no wonder he has stomach issues. There is a misconception that it’s the heat and hot sauce to blame.
There is a sliding scale, of course, if you are that bloke, then of course, eating and drinking poorly is not going to feel great with a hot curry thrown into the mix. Some people complain that hot sauce may have a negative effect them too but for most people, a ‘normal’ amount of hot sauce is not harmful at all. It can actually give some great benefits!
Pips Hot Sauce uses all-natural ingredients and is made paying attention to the quality ingredients. This is not that I am a super healthy person at all. I love a drink and good food but I have also had a huge passion for a bloody good hot sauce! In fact, that's how Pips Hot Sauce came about. Trying to get a tasty hot sauce I love whilst eating out!
So what actually are the benefits of a good chilli hot sauce? Let’s have a butchers…
Health Benefits of Hot Sauce
Hot Sauce and Weight Loss: Boosts Metabolism and Aids Fat Loss
Fresh chilli peppers have an active ingredient called capsaicin, that's that awesome little bugger that gives hot sauce the heat we all love. This little beauty has been found in several studies to boost metabolism. So we all know what that means? You need to add it to your New Year's resolution diet plans!
Here’s the academic part…a study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that eating capsaicin led to a significant increase in energy expenditure, ie the more they had of it the more calories they burned. This means that it can help with your weight loss strategies.
Also, a review in Open Heart showed capsaicin's ability to kick the body's receptor that increases your metabolic rate up the backside and increase fat oxidisation (fat burning).
These findings support including capsaicin-rich foods, like chilli peppers found in hot sauce, in a balanced diet to help boost calorie burning and support weight management.
Hot Sauce is Rich in Vitamins and Antioxidants
There are a lot of peppers that go into a good hot sauce and yep, these are actually vegetables (tell your Moms!). Peppers are actually high in Vitamins C & A and full of antioxidants. This means that consuming them can help protect your cells and boost your immunity. So you should be putting a little more spice in your cooking during those gloomy winter times.
Is Hot Sauce Good For Your Heart?
There has been research done by Frontiers In Nutrition, on the consumption of capsaicin. This research shows that eating capsaicin may help to actually lower blood pressure and help with cholesterol levels. I don’t want to get too involved in the science side but basically, the capsaicin helps to improve the ‘good’ fats in your blood, whilst lowering the bad ones. Meaning your blood vessels are healthier and the heart risks were lowered. So adding some of the hot sauce to your meal may do your heart a favour. How cool is that!?
I don't want to keep banging on about it but our hot sauces buuuuutttt they aren't overly processed like most on the market, which can have a negative effect on your health. The lack of heavy processing also means they retain a lot of the goodness too.
It Enhances Mood and Boosts Endorphins
So let’s get down to why we actually love hot sauce so so much. When you eat something spicy, capsicum actually hits your body's pain receptors and your brain is like, wtf is this!? The brain kicks into action releasing ‘endorphins’ (those feel-good chemicals) just to calm things down a bit. It’s those endorphins that give us that thrill and sense of euphoria, like getting a backstage pass to download festival!
So you know if you are a hot sauce lover like me, adding that splash to your meal actually makes it taste and also feel better, actually lifting your mood!
Is Hot Sauce Bad For Your Gut?
I think we have all had a bit of personal experience with hot sauce ‘improving digestion’ haha but let's talk about why this is and what to be mindful of. When you consume capsaicin in the chilli peppers, it stimulates the production of digestive enzymes which break down the food in your stomach. These enzymes help your body absorb those good nutrients more efficiently, making the digestive system run better and supporting your overall gut health. We all know it can actually wake it up a little, making it work a little bit faster and more effectively shall we say.
But we have all heard the negative side of this but like anything, it should all be in moderation. If you have a sensitive stomach, or you are prone to indigestion or acid reflux then of course, it may irritate things a bit. But for most people, a reasonable amount of hot sauce can promote healthy digestion. So if you can handle the heat, a bit of the chilli spice could actually do some good for your gut!
Tips for Enjoying Hot Sauce in a Healthy Way
Start Slow if You're New to Heat
Don’t go emptying the whole bottle on your food if you have never really had any hot sauce before. Start with small amounts and you will know where you are at. You could also try our milder hot sauces like our feugo del verdi green sweet chilli sauce.
Pair with Nutrient-Dense Foods
Pips Hot Sauces aren't just about the chilli heat but we also have a wide variety of styles, temperatures and flavours. So you could try pairing them with veggies and tofu, lean meats or whole grains like brown rice to give your food a spicy and nutritional kick.
I love adding some of our Attic Brewed x Pips Hot Sauce to my poached eggs in the morning. We all know how great fermented food is for our gut health too, so it's a double whammy of goodness and spice!
Listen to Your Body
Enjoy your hot sauce mindfully and don’t ignore any signs by ‘manning up’. You may react differently to some people, so just listen to what your body is saying to you. Hot sauce isn't bad for you and can be enjoyed by most people…how lucky we are!
Final Thoughts On Whether Hot Sauce Is Bad For You?
I think from reading this article we can definitely see that when eaten in normal quantities hot sauce isn't bad for you at all, and can actually give you many health benefits. Everything from kicking your metabolism up a notch to enhancing your mood on a drizzly British day.
Pips Hot Sauce started purely for the need of a decent tasty hot sauce. We achieved this by making everything by hand to ensure the quality. Not only that, we use proper top-notch ingredients, and add no nasties, It’s not ultra-processed, just natural ingredients. This gives you the best chance of gaining the health benefits from a hot sauce and I guarantee you will love the flavours we have too.
We offer a wide variety of heat levels and flavours so there is something for everyone. All made in small batches by me (Pip) & Matt.
So if you are interested in giving our range a try, check out our collection and look after your health, as well as your taste buds! Thanks for reading!