People who consume hot peppers or capsaicin in chili may live longer. According to new research, this ingredient may significantly reduce thatRisk of cardiovascular diseaseor dying of cancer. This is according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's 2020 Scientific Sessions.
What is the effect of capsaicin in chili?
Previous studies have shown that consuming chili peppers has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and blood sugar-regulating effects due to capsaicin in chili. This active ingredient gives the dish a characteristic mild to intense spice. To analyze its impact on all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, researchers examined 4,729 studies. These come from five leading global health databases (Ovid, Cochrane, Medline, Embase and Scopus). Their final analysis includes four large studies that included results for participants with data on chili pepper consumption. The researchers used the health and nutritional data of more than 570,000 people in the United States, Italy, China and Iran. They compared the results of those who consumed chili peppers with those who rarely or never ate them. Compared to the latter, the analysis found that people who ate chili had the following conditions.
- A 26% reduction in cardiovascular mortality.
- 23% fewer deathsdue to cancer.
- Relative reduction in all-cause mortality and mortality rates of 25%.
The authors were surprised to find that in these previously published studies, regular chili consumption was associated with an overall risk reduction of all-cause cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. So this shows that nutritional factors can play an important role in overall health. However, the exact reasons and mechanisms that could explain this result are currently unknown. Therefore, it is impossible to conclusively say that eating more chili peppers can extend life and reduce deaths. This is particularly true with cardiovascular factors or cancer. More research and especially evidence from randomized controlled trials is therefore needed to confirm these preliminary results.
Notes from the study authors
However, the study has several limitations. The four studies examined contained limited specific health data on individuals or other factors that could have influenced such results. Additionally, the researchers found that the amount and type of capsaicin consumed in chili varied across studies. So this made it difficult to draw conclusions about how much, how often and what type of consumption may be associated with health benefits. The researchers continue to analyze their data and hope thatcomplete paperto be published soon.
