Chili pepper reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases – naturopathy & naturopathic specialist portal

Study: Chili pepper consumption is good for the heart and blood vessels

A new study provides evidence that the consumption of chilli peppers or chilli peppers reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The researchers assume that the contained capsaicin substance is responsible for the protective effect.

Chili peppers or chili peppers are an integral part of the traditional Mediterranean diet. A new study from Italy now suggests that the hot spice can reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (disorders of the blood supply to the brain).

Lower cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality

As the Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE), the Italian research group asked 22,811 adults about their eating habits for their study. A total of 1,236 deaths were recorded in a follow-up period of around eight years.

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality rates were found to be significantly lower among participants who regularly seasoned their food with chilli pepper than those who never or rarely used chilli.

The study results were published in the journal “Journal of the American College of Cardiology” released.

However, the BZfE points out that this is a retrospective association study. This can suggest possible causal relationships, but cannot finally prove them.

“The question is whether you can actually reduce cardiovascular risk to a relevant extent with such a simple measure as spicy seasoning,” says neurologist Professor J. David Spence from the Stroke Prevention and Atherosclerosis Research Center, London, Ontario (Canada). ,

Recommended Mediterranean food

Biologically, however, the protective effect of hot spices seems at least partially plausible.

For the essential active ingredient of chilli capsaicin, beneficial effects on functions of the cardiovascular system as well as on metabolic processes and anti-inflammatory effects have been demonstrated in experimental and clinical studies.

According to Spence, however, the decisive factor seems to be the complete nutritional pattern rather than a single nutritional component.

A Mediterranean diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains is particularly cheap. “With a pinch of Tabasco, you won’t be able to conjure up healthy food from fast food.”

Help with waiving salt

According to the BZfE, the use of herbs and spices in the kitchen is to be assessed in a generally positive way from a nutritional point of view.

In addition to the taste enhancement, they offer micronutrients and secondary plant substances and help to save salt, of which we mostly use too much.

This is also shown by a study by the Chongqing Institute of Hypertension (China). A few months ago, the researchers reported in the specialist magazine “hypertension“That spicy foods help to avoid salt can. (Ad)