“That’s the ingredient in chilli pepper that gives it its heat. Capsaicin is a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties.”
In previous research published in the BMJ, researchers also found participants who ate spicy foods almost every day had a 14 percent lower risk of death, compared to those who ate it just once a week.
These findings were then reinforced by a study published in the journal PLOS ONE in 2017.
This time, researchers found consumption of hot red chilli peppers was associated with a 13 percent reduction in the instantaneous hazard of death.
Similar trends were observed for deaths from vascular disease, but these were statistically non-significant.
The researchers concluded: “In this large population-based prospective study, the consumption of hot red chilli pepper was associated with reduced mortality.
READ MORE: How to tell the difference between Alzheimer’s and age-related issues