Eating Spicy Foods Regularly Can Help Lead Longer Life, Study Suggests

Scientists have been studying the benefits of eating spicy peppers for a while now; partly because they look to understand the allure of consuming them at such a high price (the burn) and partly because it’s been found that some peppers have immense nutritional value to speed up the metabolism, prevent diseases such as cancer and even gastrointestinal problems. Now, a new study published in The BJM found that there’s a link between the consumption of spicy foods in a regular bases and a living a longer life.

Interest on conducting a study began because of previous findings in different studies on chili peppers included the fact that they can decrease appetite and energy intake, therefore can prevent overweight and obesity; also, populations with higher consumption of spices have a lower incidence of cancer and the findings of another study which reflect that bioactive agents in spices have also shown beneficial roles in obesity, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal conditions. “The beneficial effects of spices and their bioactive ingredients such as capsaicin have long been documented in experimental or small sized population studies,” wrote Lu Qi, an associate professor at Harvard's School of Public Health.

The study was conducted across various areas of China with 199 293 men and 288 082 women, between the ages of 30 and 79 participating, after enrolling between 2004 and 2008. Over the course of over seven years, the scientists recorded mortality rates in the group and causes of death. The results reflected that those who ate spicy foods 1-2 times a week had a 10 percent lower risk of death than those who rarely or never ate them, and those who ate them 3-7 times a week had a 14 percent lower risk of death.