If you just can’t get enough of spicy foods, you could be in for long, long life.
At least that’s according to one study on the connection between hot food and longevity. Take for example Mad Dog 357 Gold Edition Hot Sauce. It certainly sets the gold standard for hot sauce, but what if the “burn” you feel could mean the addition of several extra years to your life? It sounds a little crazy, but it may just be true.
A few years ago, researchers in China took a closer look at the spicy food habits of around a half-million people, deducting they could cut down their overall death risk by about 10-percent by eating hot, spicy food at least once a week, most commonly chili peppers, which are extremely popular in the country. When they upped it to at least six times a week the results were even better, with a 14-percent lower risk of death than those who ate limited spicy foods each week. The participants who ate the most showed a decreased risk of death from things like respiratory system disease, ischemic heart disease, and cancer. It’s suspected that capsaicin, the compound that delivers the heat to chili pepper, may actually offer a number of health benefits.
Of course, it’s just one study in one part of the world but it does show some promise when it comes to connecting good health to spicy foods.
The results of the study aren’t completely surprising, though, especially considering that spices have been used for centuries to flavor foods. They’ve also been used in medicinal ways, with capsaicin showing real promise in several smaller studies. In other words, the next time you want to add some “kick” to your meal, you may truly feel the benefit for years to come.
