Paprika -- used as a garnish and a seasoning to add color and zest to recipes -- is composed of ground red peppers. It is to peppers that paprika owes its fiery red color, its spicy flavor and its content of capsaicin. Capsaicin, an irritant chemical compound, has been studied for its pain-relieving and antioxidant effects. Some herbalists and natural healers believe paprika's warming qualities can help ease cold symptoms. Limited clinical research seems to support the spice's beneficial effects. Consult your doctor before using paprika.
Features
Paprika -- which can be either sweet or hot -- is made from a group of peppers belonging to the capsicum family, botanically known as Capsicum anuum. These range in intensity from sweet bell peppers to mildly hot chili peppers; the most commonly used paprika pepper is the tomato pepper. Native to tropical climates, capsicum plants feature star-shaped white flowers that ripen into hollow, roughly box-shaped peppers. Capsicum plants derive their name from the Latin word "capsa," or box. According to FoodReference.com, pepper plants -- and paprika -- were introduced to Hungary in the 17th century; that country today is still a source of high-quality paprika. Other paprika-producing areas include Spain and California.
Constituents and Effects
The active ingredient in peppers -- and paprika -- is capsaicin, a pungent phenolic chemical compound with both irritating and analgesic qualities. Drugs.com reports that capsaicin has a similar molecular structure to that of eugenol, an analgesic that is the active principle in oil of cloves. Peppers used for paprika also contain beneficial flavonoids, carotene, and the antioxidant vitamins C and A. Online Family Doctor reports that paprika can help relieve the congestion, sore throats and headaches that may accompany the common cold. In addition to alleviating cold symptoms, paprika may help boost the immune system, courtesy of its ample amounts of vitamins C and A.
Research
Although few clinical studies have been performed specifically on capsaicin and viral rhinitis, or the common cold, some research has focused on capsaicin for allergic rhinitis, which causes persistent cold-like symptoms of sneezing and congestion. In a double-blind randomized clinical study published in 2003 in "Allergy," researchers found that intranasal capsaicin spray caused significant long-term reduction in overall nasal symptoms of perennial rhinitis patients, specifically decreasing runny nose, nasal blockage and congestion.
Usage and Considerations
Paprika, considered safe when used as a food, can be sprinkled over various dishes and added to recipes to soothe a cold. However, its use hasn't been well studied in pregnancy; if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, don't use paprika. Paprika can interact with prescription drugs, and also cause irritation of the mucous membranes, skin and digestive tract. Allergies to paprika have been reported. Being allergic to mugwort, birch pollen, celery, anise, coriander, fennel or cumin makes a paprika allergy more likely. Consult your doctor before using paprika.
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