A new study presented at the American Health Association’s Scientific Sessions 2020 suggests that people who regularly consumechili peppers have a longer lifespan. Scientists examinedata from 4,729 studies in five global health databases. They compared the records of 570,000 individuals from different countries. It showed that those individualswho consumed chili peppers have 26% lesser risk of having heart diseases, 23% lesser risk of cancer, and 25% lesser risk of all-cause mortality compared to people who rarely or never ate chilis.

Previous studies found out that chilis have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and blood glucose regulating properties. This is because of “capsaicin” , an active component that gives the characteristics of spiciness and burning sensation in mammals. According to the cardiologist and senior author, Bo Xu, previous studies showed that people who consume chili peppers frequently have lower risks of getting certain diseases such as cancer and heart disease. But factors such as diet and lifestyle also affect the results. The research team continues to gather more data and hopes to publish the full paper in due time.