FARMINGTON – Good news for Four Corners residents who love their chile peppers: A recent study found regularly eating the peppers has health benefits.
The study, conducted in Italy, compared the death risk of 23,000 people, some who ate chile peppers regularly and some who didn’t. The researchers concluded eating chile peppers cut participants’ risk of death from heart disease and stroke.
The study was conducted over eight years and defined regularly eating chile peppers as at least four times per week. Participants’ health status was monitored, and researchers said those who ate chile peppers had a 40% lower risk of dying from a heart attack than those who didn’t. Researchers also concluded the risk of stroke was cut in half when participants ate chile peppers.
Conducted by the Mediterranean Neurological Institute (Neuromed), the study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The team of researchers also announced they plan to study what exactly makes the chile peppers beneficial.
Researchers said no matter what type of diet participants followed – healthy or unhealthy – eating chile peppers was found to have a protective effect.
Although the study results are interesting, researchers did not find a direct causal relationship between chile peppers and health benefits. “So, although chiles can be a tasty addition to our recipes and meals, any direct effect is likely to be small and it is more likely that it makes eating other healthy foods more pleasurable,” Duanne Mellor, a registered dietitian, told CNN.
lweber@durangoherald.com
