(Newswire.net — November 4, 2020) —
Looks like some of the stupid “hurty” games we play at my house might actually be healthy for us!
A recent study from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people who ate hot peppers, like chili peppers and jalapenos, at least four times per week had a 23% lower risk of death from any cause, and a 40% percent lower death rate from heart attacks. This was an 8 year study of over 22,000 people.
Another study with over 16,000 Americans had similar results. The study, done by the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, found that Americans who ate hot peppers had a 13 percent lower risk of death during the 23 year duration of the study. The study wasn’t able to confirm the exact cause as to why the pepper eaters had a greater life expectancy. They believe it is due to capsaicin, the main component that causes the heat in peppers.
Capsaicin has been shown to have a number of benefits. These include being a potent antioxidant, it has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, and improves digestion.
I’m not exactly sure what constitutes improved digestion, because from my experience, it hasn’t always been a pleasant digestion experience.
The American Association for Cancer Research reports that capsaicin is able to kill prostate cancer cells. While capsaicin is reported to have benefits in increasing metabolism by burning fats, relieving topical pain, and reducing insulin spikes in diabetes, it can cause burning or stinging pain to the skin and, if ingested in large amounts by adults or small amounts by children, can produce nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and burning diarrhea. Eye exposure produces intense tearing, pain, conjunctivitis, and blepharospasm.
And it can also reduce your risk of being eaten by a bear, since capsaicin is the active ingredient in bear spray.
So take action on the findings of these studies at your own risk!