Shorty Pants Lounge Lake of the Ozarks: Spicy Foods Will Warm You Up & They're Good For You Too

One way to warm up this time of year is to eat foods that have a bit of a spicy kick. Not only will a "hot" meal from Shorty Pants Lounge feel good and taste great, but it's healthy for you too! Some of the items within the best Cajun food at the Lake of the Ozarks contain peppers and other spicy ingredients for a touch of heat, and today we've got a few reasons to share with you why that can do a body good.

Heart Health
The effects on a body from "bad" cholesterol can be lowered with chili peppers. They increase the rate that the cholesterol is broken down and also increase blood flow, which improves heart function and helps to lower blood pressure.

Cancer Prevention
The capsaicin found in spicy foods has the ability to kill some cancer and leukemic cells according to the American Association for Cancer Research. Capsaicin can also create a reaction that lowers the risk of tumors.

Stress Relief
Spicy foods encourage your body to produce extra "feel-good" hormones. These endorphins are the body's natural pain medication and can reduce anxiety, stress, and the effects of depression.

Eases Congestion
If the fall weather change has you waking up stuffy in the morning, a spicy meal can help with that too. The heat thins mucus to ease the discomfort from clogged nasal passages. This can also be helpful when it comes to respiratory problems like bronchitis and even asthma.

Weight Loss
Studies have been done that prove capsaicin also gives your metabolism a boost. The effect can last up to 20 minutes after you've eaten. Spicy foods have also been known to make you feel full and reduce cravings for salty, sweet, and fatty foods.

In addition to spicy peppers, our Lake of the Ozarks waterfront restaurant also uses authentic rubs and spices direct from Louisiana that can add to the amount of heat you have with your meal. We don't serve anything that would be considered "burn your mouth hot," but if you want a little extra heat, we can definitely hook you up! Here are a few choices from our menu that you could pair with an extra-spicy Cajun Bloody Mary to really get that capsaicin working!

Alligator Eggs
Baked jalapeno peppers stuffed with a 4-cheese blend and wrapped in Prosciutto, served with a sweet raspberry sauce.

Smoked Wings
The wings themselves aren't hot, but our Extra Hot wing sauce brings the heat!

VooDoo Chicken
A spicy Marinara blackened chicken breast is placed over a bed of sauteed onions, peppers, and rice.

Creole Quesadilla
Andouille sausage, crawfish, and shrimp are the staples, with Pepper Jack cheese, sauteed peppers & onions to bring out the flavor.

Baja Burger
Our blackened classic burger topped off with Pepper Jack cheese and jalapenos.

Blackened Chicken Nachos
Tortilla chips piled high and smothered in our Turbodog cheese sauce, then topped with spicy chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, and jalapenos, plus served with salsa and sour cream.

Hungry for something spicy now? Head on over to Shorty Pants Lounge & Marina and we'll cook it up for you. Just let us know how hot you like it, and we'll see what we can do!