Health Benefits Of Sauce

There is a certain satisfaction that you get from indulging in adding hot sauce to your food. Not only does it add a bit of zip to your meal, there are other benefits you get when you eat it.

Believe it or not, hot sauce can improve your digestion. In fact the spicy effects of hot peppers can stimulate your stomach's secretions, which means that the blood flow to your stomach is increased which in turn adds to its mucous lining. This can help heal ulcers, contrary to the advice of the old wife's tale that people with ulcers should avoid spicy foods.

Adding hot sauce to your meals can also help you lose weight. This spicy condiment can boost your metabolic rate and will help you eat less and feel more satisfied. It can actually suppress your appetite and helps to increase the number of calories your body burns. Not only that, the flavor of the hot spicy peppers adds more taste to your meals which helps you stick to your diet. Most hot pepper sauces have very few calories, being made up almost entirely of herbs, spices and vegetables.

Hot pepper sauces can also help you eat healthier on the whole. As mentioned, these sauces usually contain mainly vegetables, which are lower in calories, but they also add a lot of 'zip' and taste to healthy meals that may ordinarily be bland. Eating healthier can help lower your triglycerides (the chemical form of fat in your blood and body) as well as help lower your cholesterol (which is linked to coronary diseases).

The main ingredient in hot pepper sauce also releases endorphins into your system. Endorphins are a natural 'happy drug' that your body produces. This can help battle depression, relieve pain and promote a feeling a well-being. The endorphins produced mimics the effects of people who enjoy running, who also benefit from the 'high' endorphins give.

Although it hasn't actually been proven, it is believed that the hot peppers in the sauce may help reduce high blood pressure and ward off some forms of cancer. New research also suggests that eating hot peppers made into a sauce or spicy salsa can offer protection against Salmonella. Some of the ingredients found in many hot pepper sauces, such as tomatoes, onions, cilantro and green chilies, help ward off bacteria that may cause Salmonella.

As you can see, eating hot pepper sauces can have many health benefits that you may not have been aware of. Of course, the main reason most people eat this heat-tingling condiment is because they love the taste and the spicy heat that it adds to your meals. To many people, the extreme spiciness of the hot peppers in the sauces brings to a 'rush' to the person eating them. With the above information, you can now enjoy this delicious condiment knowing that you can have flavor and heat while also enjoying the health benefits that hot sauces can provide.

Carrot Soup Recipe

Carrot soup is a good winter warmer which is quick and easy to make. You can substitute the vegetable stock with chicken stock if you have some homemade stock in the freezer.

To make a good vegetable stock you need a large onion, sliced, a few whole cloves, about 12 whole black peppercorns, some mixed herbs, a bay leaf, torn a little but still intact, a little grated nutmeg which is optional and two celery stalks, cut in half thorough the middle. You can add a peeled, quartered carrot too, although this is carrot soup so it isn't necessary for this soup. However if you want a vegetable stock for another recipe, add the carrot or maybe two. Pour in water to cover (about a litre) add salt to taste and bring to the boil. Remove any scum which comes to the top and then turn down the heat, partially cover the pan and simmer for 45 minutes or an hour. Strain the stock before using it.

Carrot Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tbsp sesame oil (optional)

1 lb carrots, scraped and sliced

1 large onion sliced thinly

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp crushed coriander seeds

2 pints vegetable stock

handful of fresh coriander leaves or flat-leaved parsley

salt and freshly ground black peppercorns

Method

Heat the oils in a large pan and add the onion, carrots and garlic, and sauté, stirring, for 3 or 4 minutes until the onion is beginning to be translucent.

Stir in the crushed coriander seeds and fry for a further minute.

Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat so that the liquid is simmering, partially cover the pan and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Add the salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Blend the soup, then pour back into the saucepan and reheat with the torn coriander or parsley leaves.

Serve with onion bread or crusty rolls.

You can add cream to this when you blend the soup for a creamy carrot soup, and if you want a spicy carrot soup, with or without the cream, you can add your favourite curry powder mix to the carrots and onions when you fry them. Pour the stock onto the mixture slowly, stirring well to make sure there are no lumps.

Tomato Chili Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• 14 fresh green chilies
• 3 tomato
• 1/4 cup green onions, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• squeeze of lime juice
• black pepper to taste

Method:

• Roast the green chilies over a gas flame or under a very hot broiler until their skins turn black. Place them in a paper or plastic bag for 10 minutes to steam the skins free. Remove the stems and peel then chop finely.
• Remove the husks of the tomato then boil them for around 3-4 minutes. Remove their seeds and chop them.
• Now simply combine the chilies, tomatoes, green onions, garlic, salt, pepper, lime juice and cilantro together. You can use a blender to get a more combined texture if you like. Your Sauce is ready!!