Red Hot Chili Peppers (Spice, Not Band) Could Lead To Longer Life, Study Says

People who love spicy food are in for good news. A new study said that consumption of hot red chili peppers is associated with a 13 percent reduction in mortality -- or deaths that are due to heart disease or stroke.

The study, published in the journal PLOS One, surveyed a massive number of records and concluded that a significant decrease in mortality is associated with pepper consumption. This conclusion supports that of previous studies that revealed an inverse relationship between consuming spicy food and mortality, recommending further studies to help investigate the benefits of other spices.

In 2015, Forbes reported that researchers from Harvard's TH Chan School of Public Health and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences reported that eating spicy food one or two days per week can reduce the risk of overall mortality by up to 10 percent.

News Australia noted that it is unclear why chili could delay death. But researchers believe that capsaicin, which is a component of chili peppers, can affect the receptor -- Transient Receptor Potential -- channels of the human body. Some TRP channels are believed to behave like microscopic thermometers and can sense hot and cold. Such receptors are believed to be activated by molecules that are found in various spices such as chili, pepper and even wasabi.

The study also noted that those who do regularly consume hot chili tended to be "younger, male, white, Mexican-American, married, and to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and consume more vegetables and meats."

Authors Mustafa Chopan and Benjamin Littenberg concluded that chili peppers are believed to play a role in cellular and molecular mechanisms that actually prevent obesity and regulate coronary blood flow. Chopan said, "Because our study adds to previous findings, chilli pepper -- or even spicy food -- consumption may become a dietary recommendation and/or fuel further research in the form of clinical trials."