Are you a hot pepper obsessive or avoider? Peppers high in spice factor are something of a superfood, so you might want to consider keeping it hot, hot, hot!

The other day, my friends and I were discussing something called the Scoville Scale (pretty much a ranking of various peppers according to their ‘temperature’). Granted, the big hitters are not recommended for raw consumption, but those who can stand other contenders are often well aware of their health benefits. A boost from this type of natural expectorant can become almost ritualistic, actually. Various post-pepper coping methods went on to include pacing, milk guzzling, and changed breathing patterns (your body actually ups its oxygen flow after eating peppers!) It sounds extreme, but it’s probably not all that misguided! Here’s the real scoop on why your body stands to benefit: