Spicy food has gradually become the norm. It’s now a quest for who can eat more spice than others, rather than enhancing the taste of the meal. But are spicy peppers healthy or do they pose any health risks? Think twice before adding extra chilli peppers, like jalapeños and scotch bonnets, to your meal.
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New research conducted on a Chinese population shows that the consumption of chilli peppers has an intriguing link to a heightened risk of cognitive decline, increasing one’s dementia risk.
Previously, research on the effects of chilli peppers on health generally had positive findings. Capsaicin, the main active spicy ingredients in hot peppers, plays a lead role in the potential effect hot peppers have on health. It reportedly speeds up metabolism, lowers blood pressure and aids in fat loss.
Despite the positive findings, this is the first longitudinal study to investigate the association between chilli intake and cognitive function.
A 15-year study involved 4582 Chinese participants aged over 55. It found evidence of a heightened cognitive decline in those who consistently ate more than 50 grams of chilli a day.
How much spicy pepper is too much?
The research, presented in a study paper that features in the journal Nutrients, led by Zumin Shi, Ph.D., from Qatar University, in Doha, showed that individuals who ate more than 50 grams of chilli per day on a regular basis had almost twice the risk of cognitive decline of people who ate less than this amount of chilli.
“Chilli consumption was found to be beneficial for body weight and blood pressure in our previous studies. However, in this study, we found adverse effects on cognition among older adults,” says Dr Zumin.
The researchers noted that chilli intake included both fresh and dried chilli peppers but not sweet capsicum or black pepper.
Those who ate a lot of chilli tended to have a lower income and body mass index (BMI). They were also more physically active when compared to non-consumers. Also, the researchers hinted that people of normal body weight may be more sensitive to chilli intake than overweight people. This they noted, may explain the higher risk of cognitive decline.
However, education levels may also play a role in cognitive decline, and this link requires further research as concluded by the researchers:
“In our study, there was a significant difference in chilli intake among people with different education levels. Therefore, it is possible that the confounding effect of education may still contribute to the relationship between chilli intake and cognitive function.”
The paper, “High chilli intake and cognitive function among 4582 adults” is published in Nutrients.
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