Regular consumption of spicy foods linked to lower risk of death

Описание: Read the full open access research:
http://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h3...

Data suggests most benefit from eating spices regularly throughout the week

Eating spicy food more frequently as part of a daily diet is associated with a lower risk of death, suggests a new study published in The BMJ. The association was also found for deaths from certain conditions such as cancer, and ischaemic heart and respiratory diseases.

This is an observational study so no definitive conclusions can
be drawn about cause and effect, but the authors call for more
research that may “lead to updated dietary recommendations
and development of functional foods.”

Previous research has suggested that beneficial effects
of spices and their bioactive ingredient, capsaicin, include antiobesity,
antioxidant, anti-inflammation and anticancer
properties.

So an international team led by researchers at the Chinese
Academy of Medical Sciences examined the association
between consumption of spicy foods as part of a daily diet and
the total risk and causes of death.

They undertook a prospective study of 487,375 participants,
aged 30-79 years, from the China Kadoorie Biobank.
Participants were enrolled between 2004-2008 and followed up
for morbidities and mortality.

All participants completed a questionnaire about their general
health, physical measurements, and consumption
of spicy foods, and red meat, vegetable and alcohol.
Participants with a history of cancer, heart disease, and stroke
were excluded from the study, and factors such as age, marital
status, level of education, and physical activity were accounted
for.

During a median follow-up of 7.2 years, there were 20,224
deaths.

Compared with participants who ate spicy foods less than once
a week, those who consumed spicy foods 1 or 2 days a week
were at a 10% reduced risk of death (hazard ratios for death
was 0.90). And those who ate spicy foods 3 to 5 and 6 or 7
days a week were at a 14% reduced risk of death (hazard ratios
for death 0.86, and 0.86 respectively).*

In other words, participants who ate spicy foods almost every
day had a relative 14% lower risk of death compared to those
who consumed spicy foods less than once a week.
The association was similar in both men and women, and was
stronger in those who did not consume alcohol.
Frequent consumption of spicy foods was also linked to a lower
risk of death from cancer, and ischaemic heart and respiratory
system diseases, and this was more evident in women than
men.

Fresh and dried chilli peppers were the most commonly
used spices in those who reported eating spicy foods weekly,
and further analysis showed those who consumed fresh chilli
tended to have a lower risk of death from cancer, ischaemic
heart disease, and diabetes.

Some of the bioactive ingredients are likely to drive this
association, the authors explain, adding that fresh chilli is richer
in capsaicin, vitamin C, and other nutrients. But they caution
against linking any of these with lowering the risk of death.