Eating chili peppers four or more times per week

33. Eating chili peppers four or more times per week

Cost: There are no costs or time commitments involved.

In plain terms: People who eat chili peppers four or more times each week have a roughly 23% lower chance of dying during the same period compared to those who rarely consume them; their risk of cardiovascular-related death is also about one-third lower.

Benefit: A study conducted in Italy included 22,800 participants, with half of them followed for an average of 8.2 years. Over this period, 1,236 participants passed away. Those who ate chili peppers four or more times per week had a 23% lower risk of death relative to people who ate very little chili (hazard ratio 0.77, 95% CI 0.66–0.90). Their risk of cardiovascular-related death was also 34% lower (hazard ratio 0.66, 95% CI 0.50–0.86).

Evidence grade: B

Sources: Bonaccio M, Di Castelnuovo A, Costanzo S, et al. (2019). Chili Pepper Consumption and Mortality in Italian Adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 74(25), 3139-3149. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2019.09.068>

Notes: There is some debate around these findings: the research was conducted in the context of a Mediterranean diet, so individuals who ate more chili peppers may have followed a diet overall more aligned with local traditional eating habits. Additionally, people suffering from gastroesophageal reflux, hemorrhoids, or irritable bowel syndrome may experience worsened symptoms from eating chili peppers, so they do not need to force themselves to consume it.