According to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Adelaide, Australia, eating spicy food regularly could reduce your risk of death, by 14%.
The scientists who carried out the research enrolled 487,375 participants, aged between 30 and 79, over four years. They then looked at the mortality over the next seven years, during which time there were 20,224 deaths.
Findings showed that people who ate spicy food once or twice per week were at a 10% reduced risk of death compared with those who at it less than once per week. This rose to 14% among those who ate spicy foods between three and seven days per week. This association was found to be the same between men and women and was stronger in those who did not consume alcohol.
Scientists also discovered that a compound call capsaicin, which is found in hot chilies, reduces food intake in humans(CC), putting a halt to overeating by creating a sense of fullness. This finding could prove to be a breakthrough on treating obesity.
“The stomach stretches when it is full, which activates nerves in the stomach to tell the body that it has had enough food. We found that this activation is regulated through hot chili pepper or TRPV1 receptors,” explained Amanda Page, Associate Professor and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide’s School of Medicine.
Dr Stephen Kentish of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) added that the findings will be the basis for further research. “It’s exciting that we now know more about the TRPV1 receptor pathway and that the consumption of capsaicin may be able to prevent overeating through an action on nerves in the stomach,” he said.
“The bioactive ingredient capsaicin found in spicy food has a wealth of health benefits, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammation and anti-obesity properties,” the researches claim. That’s why, they said, “frequent consumption is linked with a lower risk of death from cancer and ischaemic heart and respiratory system diseases – more evident in women than men.”
This is good news for those who love spicy food! I think I need to add some chili peppers to my diet!
Please share!
H/T: International Business Times
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