Eat Chili Peppers For A Longer Life
If you like spicy food it may contribute to your longevity. Research from the University of Vermont revealed in a study of over 16,000 people, that those who ate hot red chili peppers reduced their risk of death.
For hundreds of years, peppers have been thought to be beneficial for many health problems. This study lends credence to this belief. The data about chili consumption was collected from more than 16,000 Americans who were followed for approximately 20 years.
It is thought that capsaicin is the active component in chili peppers. Capsaicin is thought to effect both cellular and molecular mechanisms that improve the health of the cardiovascular system, and prevent obesity. Their ingestion also is thought to exert an antimicrobial effect, countering the overgrowth of harmful bacteria and improving the ecology of the gut. The researchers believe that chili peppers will become increasingly recognized as beneficial. “Because our study adds to the generalizability of previous findings, chili pepper — or even spicy food — consumption may become a dietary recommendation and/or fuel further research in the form of clinical trials,” says study author L. Chopan.
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