“Spicy food causes stomach ulcers”

For generations, the intense burning sensation experienced after consuming a particularly fiery meal has led many to believe that spicy food directly causes stomach ulcers. This widespread misconception gained traction partly because, for a significant period, the precise origins of stomach ulcers were not clearly understood, and dietary factors were often mistakenly blamed.

However, modern medical science has definitively debunked this long-held belief. The vast majority of stomach ulcers are not caused by diet, but by two primary factors: infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) or the prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Australian scientists Barry Marshall and Robin Warren famously challenged the prevailing medical dogma in the 1980s, demonstrating the bacterial link to ulcers, a discovery for which they were later awarded a Nobel Prize.

The enduring nature of this myth largely stems from the fact that spicy foods can indeed cause temporary discomfort, indigestion, or heartburn, which can feel similar to ulcer symptoms or irritate an already existing ulcer. While it is true that spicy food can exacerbate symptoms in someone who already has an ulcer, it does not initiate the damage to the stomach lining that creates an ulcer in the first place. In fact, some studies suggest that capsaicin, the compound responsible for the heat in chili peppers, may even offer protective benefits for the stomach lining.