Spicy Recipes to Bring (and Beat) the Heat

It seems paradoxical, but eating spicy foods on a hot day may actually help cool you down. The heat from a spicy dish increases your circulation and raises your body temperature, so your body starts pumping out sweat, which helps bring you back to thermal equilibrium once it evaporates. Inhabitants of especially hot regions—think Southeast Asia, North Africa, and parts of Mexico—figured this out long ago, and many of the peppery dishes, condiments, and drinks below are influenced by their cuisines. Not only are cold chili-infused noodles, mouth-numbing salads, and spiced grilled meats delicious, they'll also help you chill out during a wave of unforgiving late-summer heat.

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Bring the heat