Main image via Twitter + The Daily Beast
As Malaysians, we are no strangers to chilli. With so many cultures, there are so many beloved dishes that have chilli in them and we honestly can’t choose a favourite.
Besides being spicy and delicious, a study has found a new benefit for the much-loved pepper.
via GIPHY
A new research has suggested that people who eat chilli peppers regularly could live longer and have “a significantly reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease or cancer.”
The scientists researched 4,729 chilli pepper studies that looked into the health implications of the pepper to come to this conclusion.
570,000 people from across Italy, Iran, China and the United States’ health and diet records were also looked into to compare the health of those who regularly consume chillies and those who rarely or never ate them.
via GIPHY
The research done suggested that those who regularly eat chillie are less likely to die from cancer or heart problems, as these chilli-lovers had a 26% relative reduction in cardiovascular mortality, a 23% relative reduction in cancer mortality and a 25% relative reduction in all-cause mortality.
“We were surprised to find that in these previously published studies, regular consumption of chilli pepper was associated with an overall risk-reduction of all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality,” Bo Xu, senior author of the study and cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Cascular & Thoracic Institute in Cleveland, Ohio, shared.
“It highlights that dietary factors may play an important role in overall health.”
via GIPHY
“The exact reasons and mechanisms that might explain our findings, though, are currently unknown,” the cardiologist added.
He went on to say:
“Therefore, it is impossible to conclusively say that eating more chilli pepper can prolong life and reduce deaths, especially from cardiovascular factors or cancer.”
“More research, especially evidence from randomised controlled studies, is needed to confirm these preliminary findings.”
As the amount and type of chilli pepper consumed by the participants varied a lot – the result of analysing a number of different studies, conducted by a number of different international groups; it makes it impossible to determine just how much consumed chilli contributes to the supposed health benefits.
The research team are still continuing their study into the impact of chilli pepper consumption and they are expected to publish a full paper once they’ve finalised the analysis of their data.
via GIPHY
Brb, going to eat all the chilli and spicy food we can find!
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Info via UNILAD