Sriracha, the sweet and spicy red sauce once found exclusively in Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, now appears in pantries all across the country. America has gone crazy about this stuff, using it not only to flavor noodles and pho but also potato chips, eggs, and even ice cream. Some people love it so much that they never want to be without it. And now, thanks to these pocket-sized sriracha to go bottles, it’s possible to carry the country’s favorite spicy sauce with you wherever you go.

But could the benefits of sriracha possibly go beyond flavor? Below, we highlighted a few of the (supposed) health benefits of consuming sriracha in order to make everyone feel better about their obsession.

It could be good for your heart.

Some say the capsaicin in red peppers may help improve circulation and disintegrate blood clots. Garlic, a prominent ingredient in sriracha, is also credited for helping to keep cholesterol levels and blood pressure low.

It might help you relax.

Capsaicin also increases serotonin, which studies have linked to a boost in both mood and memory, as well as endorphins, which may improve well-being and ease pain.

It could clear up your stuffy nose.

Sriracha—like many spicy foods—acts as an expectorant, helping the body to get rid of mucus and opening up nasal passages. Because of this, some people swear by it as a cold remedy.

It might help keep you slim.

That magic element, capsaicin, has also been reported to speed up metabolism while suppressing appetite. That being said, it shouldn’t be considered a substitution for good old-fashioned diet and exercise—which is a good thing. If it was, there’d be nothing stopping us from pouring it on our cereal.

Photos by Andrew Nawrocki, Groupon

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