Surprising discovery: This pepper reduces mortality from cancer and heart disease
Which pepper can reduce the risk of mortality from diseases (Collage RBC-Ukraine)
The use of spices can improve your health and even protect against certain diseases. Therefore, it's worth not passing by pepper and other hot spices, say scientists.
Which pepper can reduce mortality from cancer and heart disease, is reported by the journal Scientific Sessions.
Which pepper is the healthiest
A team of scientists from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio conducted a study showing that consuming one type of pepper reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 26% and from cancer by 23%. And this is chili pepper.
Chili pepper acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer agent, and blood glucose regulator. This is due to the alkaloid found in the vegetable, capsaicin. It is this compound that gives pepper its signature spicy taste.
Capsaicin was first discovered and studied in the early 19th century. It was first isolated from red pepper (Capsicum annum) in 1816 by chemist Christian Friedrich Bucholz. However, its chemical structure was determined later, in 1919.
Research has shown that capsaicin is the main active component of red pepper, giving it its pungency. It has numerous pharmacological properties, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Additionally, capsaicin is used in medicine as a component for local anesthesia and as an anti-inflammatory agent.
How the study was conducted
Scientists analyzed nearly 5000 studies from 5 major health databases to determine the correlation between pepper consumption and mortality from serious diseases. During the analysis, data from over 570,000 individuals from the United States, Italy, China, and Iran were collected.
Finding a certain pattern, the researchers also concluded that overall, consuming chili pepper reduces mortality from all causes by 25%.
What to know about chili pepper
This pepper originates from South and Central America, where it has been grown and consumed since ancient times.
The spiciness of chili pepper is measured in Scoville units. The hottest varieties can reach several million Scoville units.
Chili pepper contains a lot of vitamin C and other antioxidants, which can be beneficial for health.
Depending on the variety of chili pepper, its seeds can be edible and add even more spiciness to dishes.
In addition to culinary uses, capsaicin, found in chili pepper, is used in medicine for treating pain, migraines, arthritis, and other conditions.
Earlier, we wrote about spices that should not be added to meat.
And we also talked about the healthiest food in the world.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
