Almost everyone is told that consuming capsaicin causes stomach problems, but the opposite is true. What is capsaicin? Capsaicin is found in chili peppers native to Latin America; Due to its pungent flavor, it was traded by Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the 16th century to Europe and Asia and today is one of the world's essential spices. Chili peppers have been used for centuries to season foods, but recently scientists have started using it for medicinal purposes. Many believe that capsaicin helps improve and treat a variety of health problems, some as simple as headaches to cancer, and that it can promote blood circulation, maintain weight loss, and prevent deterioration of the lining of the stomach. Scientists have discovered that capsaicin, the chemical compound in peppers that gives it its pungent flavor, actually strengthens the stomach lining. Although chili peppers are believed to cause various stomach problems, scientists have conducted numerous studies that show that not only does consuming chili peppers prevent the development of gastric ulcers, but it strengthens the lining and may even be used to treat gastric cancer. It has long been believed that consuming capsaicin causes gastric ulcers and cancer. Although it is true that consuming it in large quantities causes stomach upset and constipation, consuming any food in excessive quantities can cause stomach upset because, as the saying goes, “ too much of one thing is no good.” In the data collected on patients suffering from gastric ulcers, it was found that the most affected are the Chinese, since their consumption of capsaicin is almost non-existent. On the other hand, ethnic groups like Malaysians, ...... middle of paper ......ld. Only recently have scientists started to find other ways to use it. Whether used for pain relief or even to help prevent cancer, capsaicin has been shown to be beneficial. It's amazing how something as universal as a chili pepper could be so useful, whether it's added to food to give it a bit of a tangy flavor, or its capsaicin one day used to treat and prevent some of the deadliest diseases. www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/capsicumhttp://www.thefreelibrary.com/Hot+peppers+cause+ulcers+and+other+stomach+problems,+right%3F+Wrong!... -a0168748165http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16621751http://cms1.daegu.ac.kr/_upload/PDSBoard_01/PDSBoardDocs_10/jwyun/534/Justine%20Chow,%20Manith%20Norng,%20Jing %20Zhang,%20Jianyuan%20Chai.pdf