A spicy diet linked to dementia, according to a study

Do you add hot sauce to many of your favorite dishes? Be careful, a spicy diet could increase your risk of dementia.

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Researchers at the University of South Australia recently conducted a study, published in the journal Nutrients, to explore the link between chili consumption and cognitive function.

To do this, they examined 4,582 Chinese adults aged 55 and over for 15 years. The subjects recorded their food intake and underwent cognitive screening throughout the badessment.

After badyzing the results, the team found that the cognitive decline of those who ate more than 50 grams of pepper a day was faster than those who consumed less than 50 grams of pepper a day. Fifty grams of pepper is equivalent to about three to four tablespoons of dried pepper.

Those who consumed more than 50 grams of spice a day had almost double the risk of memory loss and cognitive problems, and this decline was even more significant for smaller participants.

"Chilean consumption has been shown to be beneficial for body weight and blood pressure in our previous studies. However, in this study, we found adverse effects on cognition in the elderly, "said lead author Zumin Shi in a statement.

According to this study, chili is one of the most used spices in the world, but it is particularly popular in Asia. It is rare to consume more than 50 grams of pepper a day in Western countries. However, "In some parts of China, such as Sichuan and Hunan, nearly one in three adults consume spicy foods every day," said co-author Ming Li.

Scientists revealed that those who ate a lot of chili had a lower body mbad index and lower income and were more physically active than those who did not eat as much.

They also noted that people with normal body weight may be more sensitive to chili consumption than overweight people.

The team now hopes to continue its studies to determine if reducing chili consumption can reduce the risk of dementia.

© 2019 Cox Media Group.