Eating spicy meals and most especially hot chilli pepper may not be your favourite food choice because of the burning sensation, however, it can save your life.
A new study has revealed that a diet that includes chillies could help lower the risk of heart disease, so start firing up your pepper intake.
According to the study which was published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, people who consume chilli pepper on a regular basis have a reduced mortality risk by 23 per cent compared to those who do not.
The research examined 22,811 citizens of the Molise region in Italy, studying their health status for an average period of eight years, and compared it with their eating habits. The researchers observed that in people regularly consuming chilli pepper (four times a week or more), the risk of dying of a heart attack was cut down by 40 per cent.
Licia Iacoviello, Director of the Department of Epidemiology and Prevention at the I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed and Professor of Hygiene and Public Health at the Università dell' Insubria of Varese had this to say about the study:
"Over the centuries, beneficial properties of all kinds have been associated with its consumption, mostly on the basis of anecdotes or traditions, if not magic. It is important now that research deals with it in a serious way, providing rigour and scientific evidence.
And now we know that the various plants of the capsicum species, although consumed in different ways throughout the world, can exert a protective action towards our health."
Some other benefits of eating hot peppers are:
Fights the Flu & Colds
Hot peppers are chalked full of beta carotene and antioxidants that support your immune system and will aid in fighting off colds and the flu.
Prevents Allergies
Due to the anti-inflammatory benefits of capsaicin, hot peppers can help prevent allergies and symptoms from allergies.
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