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Eating hot peppers regularly could offer previously unrecognized health benefits, helping lengthen people’s lives, a new study suggests.
Chili eaters may have “a significantly reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease or cancer,” according to preliminary research to be presented this week at the 2020 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
While previous research has shown that consuming chili peppers has an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and blood sugar regulating effect due to capsaicin – which gives chili peppers its characteristic hot taste, the study is the first effort to large scale to compare the reported consumption of chili peppers with the disease. mortality.
In order to assess the effects of chili peppers on longevity, the researchers reviewed 4,729 studies from five major global health databases, namely: Ovid, Cochrane, Medline, Embase and Scopus.
These included four large studies that specifically included participants’ health outcomes with data on chili consumption.
This provided the research team with the health and diet records of more than 570,000 people in the United States, Italy, China and Iran, allowing them to compare the results of those who consumed peppers to those who rarely or never ate them.
Compared with those who ate chili peppers ‘rarely’ or ‘never’, the analysis found that people who ate them had:
- a 26% relative reduction in cardiovascular mortality
- a 23% relative reduction in cancer mortality
- a 25% relative reduction in all-cause mortality
“We were surprised to find that in these previously published studies, regular consumption of chili peppers was associated with an overall reduction in risk from all causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality,” said lead author Bo Xu, cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Heart, Vascular, and Thoracic Institute, Ohio.
“This highlights that dietary factors can play an important role in overall health,” he said.
But Dr Xu warned, “The exact reasons and mechanisms that could account for our findings, however, are currently unknown.”
“Therefore, it is not possible to say conclusively that eating more chili peppers can prolong life and reduce deaths, especially from cardiovascular factors or cancer.
“Further research, especially evidence from randomized controlled studies, is needed to confirm these preliminary results.”
Dr Xu also cautioned that there are several limitations to this type of study. All four studies reviewed included limited specific health data on individuals or other factors that may have influenced the results.
The researchers also noted that the amount and type of chili pepper consumed varied across studies, making it difficult to draw conclusions about exactly how much, how often, and what type of chili pepper consumption may be associated with health benefits. health.
The research team said they are continuing to analyze their data and intend to publish a full article in due course.
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