Eating Spicy chili peppers may help us live longer
An investigation of more than 16,000 individuals in the United States uncovered that people who devoured red chili peppers had a lower danger of death from all causes over a normal of 18 years than the individuals who did not eat the spicy food.
Study co-authors Mustafa Chopan and Benjamin Littenberg, both from
the University of Vermont College of Medicine, as of late announced their discoveries in the diary PLOS One.
are the fruits of the Capsicum plant, which belongs to the nightshade family. There are many types of chili pepper, all of which have different heat levels.
In hot peppers, such as jalapeños, the fiery flavor comes from a compound called capsaicin. Studies have suggested that this compound can offer a wealth of health benefits.
A recent study reported by Medical News Today, for example, found that capsaicin might have the potential to halt breast cancer, while an earlier study linked the compound to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer.
According to Chopan and Littenberg, only one previous study - published in The BMJ in 2015 - has investigated how the consumption of spicy foods such as chili peppers can impact death risk. It found a link between regular consumption of such foods and reduced all-cause and cause-specific mortality.
The new study supports this association, after finding that people who eat hot red chili peppers might have a longer lifespan.
All-cause mortality risk 13 percent lower with red chili pepper intake
Chopan and Littenberg reached their findings by analyzing the data of 16,179 adults aged 18 or above who took part in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III between 1988 and 1994.
At the point of survey, participants' consumption of hot red chili peppers over the past month was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire.
The all-cause and cause-specific mortality of participants were monitored over a median follow-up period of 18.9 years using the National Death Index. During follow-up, 4,946 deaths occurred.
Compared with participants who did not consume hot red chili peppers, those who did were found to be at a 13 percent reduced risk of all-cause mortality.
Because of the relatively small number of deaths in this study, Chopan and Littenberg say that their data on how red chili pepper intake might impact specific causes of death is limited.
Still, the available data suggested that hot red chili pepper consumption was most strongly associated with a reduced risk of death from vascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.
While the researchers are unable the pinpoint the precise mechanisms by which red chili peppers might extend lifespan, the team says that it is likely down to capsaicin, which activities transient receptor potential (TRP) channels.
"Activation of TRP vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) appears to stimulate cellular mechanisms against obesity, by altering mediators of lipid catabolism and thermogenesis," the researchers explain. "Protection against obesity leads to decreased risk of cardiovascular, metabolic, and lung diseases."
"Capsaicin may also defend against heart disease via a TRP-mediated modulation of coronary blood flow," they add.
