This article is for health education purposes only and is intended for informational reference; it does not constitute medical advice. If you have any health concerns, please consult a professional doctor.

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People who can't live without spicy food may have an edge when it comes to lifespan. A follow-up study of 487,000 adults in China over 7.2 years found that people who ate spicy food 6 to 7 days a week had a 14% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who rarely ate spicy food (HR 0.86) [1], and this association was more pronounced in people who did not drink alcohol.

Why is spicy food linked to metabolism? A meta-analysis shows that capsaicin can slightly increase energy expenditure, promote fat oxidation, and tends to suppress appetite [2]; in a small-sample human trial, adding about 1 gram of chili powder to each meal increased feelings of fullness and reduced the desire to eat after the meal [3]. But the effects are all modest—losing weight by eating spicy food is unrealistic.

If you can tolerate spicy food, simply add some fresh chilies or dried chili powder as seasoning when cooking; people with gastroesophageal reflux or sensitive stomachs need not force themselves—spicy food is not a necessity.

One reminder: this is an association from observational research, not a guarantee that "eating spicy food leads to longevity." A diet you can stick with is a good diet.

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Disclaimer: This article is for health education purposes only and is intended for informational reference; it does not constitute medical advice. If you have any health concerns, please consult a professional doctor.

Declaration of Interests: The content of this article is based on publicly published medical literature, and the author has no relevant conflicts of interest.

References

  1. Consumption of spicy foods and total and cause specific mortality: population based cohort study. BMJ. 2015;351:h3942. PMID:26242395
  2. The effects of capsaicin and capsiate on energy balance: critical review and meta-analyses of studies in humans. Chem Senses. 2012;37(2):103-21. PMID:22038945
  3. Capsaicin increases sensation of fullness in energy balance, and decreases desire to eat after dinner in negative energy balance. Appetite. 2014;77:44-9. PMID:24630935

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