The secret hidden in peppers that can ward off heart disease and dementia

Some like it hot, especially when it comes to food. Surveys show one in five of us eat curry at least once a week, while demand in Britain for hot sauces packed with fiery chilli flavors is increasing, fueled by the popularity of celebrity-backed brands such as Tingly Ted’s, launched by music megastar Ed Sheeran.

But can spicy food boost our health?

Compelling evidence comes from a recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition, which surveyed more than 50,000 adults about how often they ate fresh chillies, chilli sauce or added dried chillies to their cooking.

The results showed that those who ate a spicy dish just once a week reduced the risk of a life-threatening ischemic stroke (where a clot forms in the narrow blood vessels in the skull, cutting off blood flow to the brain) by 13 percent. reduced. with those who rarely or never ate spicy dishes.

And those who ate hot food three or more times a week were almost 20 percent less likely to develop constipation, according to the study from Guangxi Medical University in China.

This effect was especially prominent in obese people – and obesity is a major risk factor for stroke; researchers said: ‘Obese people may benefit from consuming higher frequency of spicy foods.’

Ischemic strokes affect more than 100,000 people in Britain every year, killing more than a third and leaving many more permanently affected by speech problems and immobility.

One theory is that the health benefits are due to the effects of capsaicin – the ingredient that gives peppers their heat. Capsaicin increases metabolism, or the rate at which the body uses energy, by about 8 percent – ​​and this in turn wards off obesity.

Those who ate hot food three or more times a week were almost 20 percent less likely to develop constipation, according to the study from Guangxi Medical University in China

In one of the largest studies on the health benefits of a spicy diet, researchers found that those who regularly ate dishes containing chili peppers were 26 percent less likely to die from heart disease than those who rarely or never ate them.

And even those who do have a stroke can still benefit — a 2019 study in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases found that stroke patients who received a capsaicin supplement were much less likely to experience dysphagia, a problem that affects up to 80 percent of people. stroke victims, making it difficult to swallow food and drink.

The spicy compound has been shown to stimulate receptors in the muscles in the throat, making them contract more easily – which aids swallowing.

Dr. Louise Flanagan, head of research at the Stroke Association, said: ‘More than 90,000 people in Britain survive a stroke every year, and its devastating impact can leave people unable to move, see, speak or even swallow. We welcome these types of studies that look at modifiable risk factors for stroke, such as diet. But these studies have limitations and the definition of ‘spicy’ can vary.”

Spicy food has been shown to benefit our well-being in other ways too. For example, have you ever noticed that your stuffy nose seems to go away when you enjoy a hot, spicy meal?

That’s because capsaicin in peppers releases a vapor that irritates the mucous membranes lining the nostrils: this delicate layer traps incoming germs and releases mucus to clear them from the nose.

Capsaicin causes the release of mucus, which can clear blockages and make breathing easier for a short time.

In some countries, doctors prescribe a capsaicin nasal spray for non-allergic rhinitis, a condition that affects up to six million people in Britain and involves a stuffy nose caused by a cold or irritation by pollutants such as cigarette smoke.

In clinical trials, the chilli sprays – which are not licensed in Britain – eradicated symptoms in around 40 per cent of patients.

Previous research suggests that peppers can dampen inflammation, which can affect the blood vessels around the heart, leading to blockages that can ultimately cause a heart attack.

But one study found that eating too many spicy foods can lower the temperature in the bedroom

Peppers can also be good for the heart. In one of the largest studies on the health benefits of a spicy diet, reported in 2020 at the American Heart Association conference, researchers found that those who regularly ate dishes containing peppers were 26 percent less likely to die from heart disease than those who rarely , or never, she ate.

The study, conducted by the Cleveland Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute in Ohio, analyzed the eating habits of more than 570,000 people who had participated in various nutrition and health studies. Previous research suggests that peppers can dampen inflammation, which can affect the blood vessels around the heart, leading to blockages that ultimately cause a heart attack.

But the US researchers stressed that it is too early to say for sure that eating spicy foods saves lives, because their study did not take into account the amount or type of chili pepper (some hotter than others) that volunteers ate. .

Meanwhile, research suggests that eating peppers regularly may protect against dementia.

For example, a 2020 study in mice by scientists in Canada found that feeding treats made with capsaicin protected against the formation of amyloid plaques, the harmful deposits thought to be responsible for the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, including memory loss and mood swings.

The researchers wrote in the journal Translational Psychiatry that capsaicin not only blocked plaque formation, but also appeared to dampen inflammation in the brain, which is also linked to cognitive decline.

But the jury is still out: Another study conducted by the University of South Australia in 2019 found that eating more than 50 grams of chili per day can double the risk of memory loss and poor cognition.

Another study conducted by the University of South Australia in 2019 found that eating more than 50 grams of chili per day can double the risk of memory loss and poor cognition.

The 15-year study, which involved more than 4,500 volunteers, concluded that too much spicy food could actually damage brain cells, making them more susceptible to developing Alzheimer’s disease.

What is generally accepted is that capsaicin from peppers can relieve pain; it acts on pain-sensitive nerves, making them less sensitive. For example, a skin patch made with capsaicin is often used by the NHS to treat neuropathic pain, such as that experienced by people with diabetes, where poor circulation to the legs and feet can damage nerves.

Research shows that the chili pepper-based patch, which contains a liquid made with capsaicin seeping through it, can reduce neuropathic pain by up to 50 percent.

Even eating capsaicin regularly can increase our pain tolerance, according to a 2020 study in the Journal of Pain.

Researchers gave 60 students a sugar or chili pepper-based snack, and then measured their ability to withstand pain when their hands were plunged into ice-cold water.

Those given the spicy snack were able to tolerate pain for longer, and the effects lasted for weeks after the test – suggesting it improved pain tolerance in the long term.

Susan Brain, professor of pharmacology at King’s College London, says: ‘If you eat a hot chilli and get a burning sensation, it is the capsaicin that causes this by binding to and activating nerve fibers in the body that transmit pain signals.

‘But that pain disappears quickly because the capsaicin desensitizes them.’

It’s not all positive news. In 2021, researchers at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine reviewed data from 16 previous studies on peppers and stomach tumors and found that those who ate them several times a week had a 50 percent greater risk of stomach cancer than occasional eaters – possibly because excessive capsaicin intake could increase the can increase the risk of stomach cancer. irritate the stomach wall.

And too much spicy food can drop the temperature in the bedroom. A recent study of 373 men found that those who ate spicy foods three or more times a week had reduced libido – and were two and a half times more likely to experience erectile dysfunction than those who consumed hot foods less than once a week. .

One reason may be its effect on male hormone levels.

The researchers wrote in September in the journal Translational Andrology and Urology: ‘Testosterone levels decreased significantly with an increase in the frequency of spicy food consumption.’

But the scientists from the University of South China also suggested that eating a lot of fiery foods could be a sign of a fattening diet and obesity, both of which can reduce sex drive.

Professor Brain says: ‘The take home message here is to eat sensible amounts – as part of a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, chillies certainly won’t do you any harm.’