spicy

 

Eating spicy foods regularly may be one secret to longevity, according to a study from Harvard Medical School in Boston. Specifically, people who eat fresh and dried chili peppers at least three times a week had a lower risk of premature death than those who consumed such foods less often. “The finding is very simple,” lead study author Lu Qi told HealthDay News. “If you eat more spicy food, it’s better for your health and lowers the risk for mortality, especially as it relates to cancer and heart disease.” The study found that eating fresh spicy foods once or twice a week was associated with a 10 percent drop in the overall risk of death during the study, compared with eating such foods less than once a week. Those who consumed spicy foods three to seven days a week lowered their rate of death by as much as 14 percent. Eating fresh chili peppers was specifically linked to a lower risk of dying from cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.