Brief Answer:
Medium to moderate spicy food has beneficial use

Detailed Answer:
Greetings
Welcome to Health care Magic

Hi,

Thanks for writing to us. That's really a very interesting question you have asked. Normally encounter such questions in my clinical practice too.

Now when we usually mean spicy food, the source is either chillies or pepper. They contain a compound called as "Capsaicin" which is responsible for the spicy taste as well its medicinal values and it's disadvantages as well.

Now here are the medicinal value of Capsaicin: Traditionally mentioned uses are: addiction, malaria, yellow fever, heart disease, stroke, weight loss, poor appetite, and sexual potency.

Evidence based uses are as below:
2. Capsaicin creams are used to treat psoriasis as an effective way to reduce itching and inflammation.

3. Oral intake of capsaicin may increase the production of heat by the body for a short time. Due to the effect on the carbohydrates breakdown after a meal, capsaicin may also be used to regulate blood sugar 

4. Capsaicin is used as an analgesic in topical ointments, nasal sprays,, and dermal patches to relieve pain.

5. It may be applied in cream form for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains of muscles and joints associated with arthritis, backache, strains and sprains, often in compounds with other rubeficients.

6. It is also used to reduce the symptoms of peripheralneuropathy such as post-herpetic neuralgia caused by shingles.

Disadvantages or side effects of Capsaicin are:

1. Exacerbation or precipitation of acid peptic disease and Increase in the symptoms of heart burn in stomach ulcer patients

2. There are these contradicting studies where few studies say that capsaicin prevents stomach cancer and few studies mention that are pro carcinogenic for stomach cancer

If you go through the list of medicinal uses of capsaicin (source from diet are chillies and pepper)the benefits of spicy food out weighs the disadvantages. However anything in moderation is good. So its ideal to keep a balance in diet. So we may say that a medium spicy food has got lots of medicinal value.

Do get back to me for any additional information. Would be glad to assist you.

Take care.

Best regards,
Dr. T. Shobha Deepak
MBBS, MD

---