Hot Peppers Help the Heart F
ebruary is Heart Health Month, and individuals that like hot peppers have another reason to continue their spicy habit, according to recent research. A study presented at the latest National Meeting and Exposi- tion of the American Chemical Society focused on the benefits of capsaicin and its fiery-hot relatives, a piquant family of substances termed capsaicinoids, that give cay- enne, jalapeños, habanero and other chili peppers their heat. The research team discovered that these substances boost heart health in several ways: They block the action of a gene producing a sub- stance that makes arteries contract and restrict the flow of blood to the heart and other organs; lower cholesterol by reducing its accumulation in the body and increasing its breakdown and excretion; decrease the size of cholesterol deposits already formed in blood vessels that narrow arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks or strokes; and reduce overall levels of so-called “bad” cholesterol while not affecting levels of “good” cholesterol.
The red-and-white icon, created in 1995 and now found on product packaging, is a solid first step in building a heart-friendly diet. The AHA is now beginning to include foods with high levels of
RED, WHITE AND TRUE B
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—the “good” fats—in the Heart-Check program. Updated requirements also covering sodium, sugar and fiber will take effect in 2014 to allow food manufacturers time to reformulate their products.
B
THE SALTSHAKER THIEF
efore reaching for the salt-
ag the guesswork of grocery shopping and let the American Heart Association (AHA) Heart-Check mark help identify healthy foods.
shaker, consider that excessive dietary salt not only burdens the kidneys and increases the risk of hyperten- sion; it may also deplete vital cal- cium. Research by Canadian medical researchers at the University of Alberta recently dis- covered an important link between sodium and calcium, which appear to be regulated by the same molecule in the body. When sodium intake be- comes too high, the body excretes it via urine, taking calcium with it and creating a risk for developing kidney stones and osteoporosis. So, pass the pepper instead.
natural awakenings
February 2013
21
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