Health Desk: Researchers said, wish to live longer? Eating hot red chilli peppers with cholesterol lowering properties may help.
The findings showed that consumption of hot red chilli peppers can lead to a 13 per cent reduction in total mortality, primarily in deaths due to heart disease or stroke.
People who were regular consumers of hot red chilli peppers showed lower cholesterol.
ALSO READ | Diet diary: The pitfalls of tampering with our food supply
Although the researchers are not certain about the mechanism by which peppers could delay mortality, �transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, which are primary receptors for pungent agents such as capsaicin ? the principal component in chilli peppers ? may in part be responsible for the observed relationship,� said Mustafa Chopan from University of Vermont in the US.
Capsaicin is believed to play a role in cellular and molecular mechanisms that prevent obesity and modulate coronary blood flow and also possesses anti-microbial properties that �may indirectly affect the host by altering the gut microbiota,� Chopan said.
Peppers and spices have been for centuries thought to be beneficial in the treatment of diseases.
For the study, the team examined more than 16,000 Americans who were followed for up to 23 years.