As the weather gets cooler, you
may want to add a little heat to your cooking. Spices are often used in
meal preparation to improve or enhance the taste of food; however, spices may
contribute more to your meal than flavor. Research has demonstrated many
beneficial effects of spices and their bioactive ingredients; these ingredients
have shown beneficial roles in obesity, various cancers and cardiovascular
conditions. While the data suggests a profound influence on morbidities and
mortality in humans, there has been a lack of evidence relating to consumption
of spicy food and total disease specific mortality until recently.
Research
published in The BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal) found that
eating spicy food might contribute to a longer life. The study followed a
population of about 500,000 men and women over a period of four years. The
participants were asked how often they ate spicy foods in the past month: never
or almost never, only occasionally, one or two days a week, three to five days
a week, or six or seven days a week. Those who selected the last three
categories were further asked to identify the main sources of spices used;
multiple choice identified fresh chili pepper, dried chili pepper, chili sauce,
chili oil, other or don’t know. Researchers looked at mortality rates related to
the frequency of the consumption of spicy food. The participants who ate spicy
foods six to seven days a week showed a 14 percent relative risk reduction in
mortality compared to those that only ate spicy foods less than once a week.
The
study did not specify how the spices were consumed or prepared; however, researchers
did note a more positive association between fresh spices versus dried spices in
terms of healthier outcomes. More research is needed to support the claim that
spices may promote a longer life, but given the plethora of health benefits
attributed to spices thus far, you may want to add a bit of heat to your next
dish!
No comments:
Post a Comment