In a US study of 16,179 adults followed for about 19 years, people who ate hot red chilli peppers had a 13% lower risk of death from any cause.
Did you know that eating hot peppers and more spicy food might help you live longer? Medical science is working on a hypothesis that consumption of hot and spicy chilli peppers is associated with a significant reduction in total mortality.
Medical researchers found that consumption of hot red chilli peppers is associated with a 13 per cent reduction in total mortality—primarily in deaths due to heart disease or stroke.
Eating Spicy Foods May Help You Live Longer by Judy Gerstel
A note from us: in the study behind this (Chopan and Littenberg, PLOS ONE 2017, 16,179 US adults followed for about 19 years), the 13% lower risk was for death from any cause. The trends for heart disease and stroke were not statistically significant, and as an observational study it shows a link, not proof.
So, do not be afraid of that pepper hot sauce you find at your local chilli dealer. It sure looks like a poison in that little bottle, that will cause some pain — and it will — but it’s also might help you live longer.
So there you have it. Spicy food helps you live a longer life, and our dietary recommendation is that should start eating hot chili peppers by the bushel! Find it unpleasant? So is exercising. So suck it up and start melting your insides. It’s good for you.
People Who Like Spicy Food Live Longer by Rob Fox
Why it matters for growers: One more reason to keep a chilli plant on the windowsill, as long as the heat suits your stomach. The study shows a link, not proof.