Capsaicin the Culprit?

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Hi DaveI’m a 75 year old healthy guy who has a rare blood disorder called amyloidosis; one out of 100,000 but not a cancer. Unlike most, my strength, energy and major organs have not been affected (I continue to play tennis at my usual level) but the symptoms have centered in the vesicular area. As a retired adhesive chemist, I …

Can I Repel Bears with Hot Chiles?

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Q: Hey Dave:I’m going to Yosemite this weekend where the bears often break into cars and damage them. On my last camping trip a raccoon or something got in and tore everything up to get into some food, so I want to prepare against something worse. I’ve read all the warnings about storage and plan to remove everything from my …

Capsaicin and Seeds

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Q:  Dave,Is there any heat in the seeds?Ed A: Hello Ed:There is no heat in the seeds initially. But during processing, some capsaicin may migrate to the seeds, making them slightly hot.Dave

Chiles Burn Calories?

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Q: Hello Dave, I am trying to burn fat, and I want to know is it safe to eat as many chile or cayenne peppers as I want to everday to boost my metabolism. Please let me know. Thank You.Elzi A: Hello Elzi:Eating chiles can boost your metabolism and burn calories but you have to eat a lot of them. …

Stomach Pain – Too Much Spice?

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Q:  Dear Dave,Last night at a restaurant I ate an hors d’oerve dish that the place challenges people to finish, presumably because it is so hot.  Few do it.  It is made up of 5 habanero chile fritters and habanero hot sauce for dipping. Going down was painful, but do-able.  When it hit my stomach, though, I felt a low …