Spicy Food May Help You Live Longer
Some people are big fans of spicy food, often opting to order the hottest option on the menu and adding sauces to everything they consume. Others find that even mild salsa may be more than they can handle and need to have a drink beside them to make it through a slightly fiery dinner. Whichever your preference, research has shown that consuming spicy food may help to lower mortality rates.
Benefits of Spice
Researchers from the University of Vermont College of Medicine analyzed data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) III of adults between 1988 and 1994. With the 16,179 participants, they measured the frequency of which they consumed hot red chili peppers. They then performed follow-up checks on the participants and 4,946 deaths had been observed. Of those that had eaten chili peppers, approximately 22% had passed compared to roughly 34% of those that had not consumed any. These findings support the likelihood that hot red chili pepper consumption may lower mortality rates, and the results showed the strongest support for vascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks.
Eating for Longevity
While making meals, you should consider the results of this study and begin to find ways to incorporate slightly spicy elements into some of your foods. It isn’t recommended to start a new diet routine if your body isn’t used to eating that way, so abruptly adding new elements may not be the best approach. Start slowly. Even something as simple as ground black pepper added as a seasoning to your regular dishes will provide the benefits mentioned. If you are already someone who finds themselves eating spicier foods, here are some suggestions to help include these healthy elements into meals.
- Ground Pepper: Simple ground black pepper adds heat without being overpowering as long as you’re careful. Add it to more of your regular foods like mashed potatoes, barbecued meats, and vegetables to add some flavor and spice.
- Fresh or Dried Peppers: Try cutting up some peppers to add to dips. If you are worried about getting a large piece, cut them small or start with half of a pepper. Incorporating them into a stir-fry or a tomato sauce where they can blend with other flavors is also a great place to start.
- Chili Flakes: These make a great addition of some heat onto a slice of pizza or as a finishing touch on top of a plate of pasta.
- Salsa and Hot Sauce: Add some salsa as a topping on a piece of chicken or another neutral base, so you don’t have too many competing flavors. If you prefer to leave salsa for your nachos, try drizzling some hot sauce into a soup where the other elements can help dilute it until you know how much you are comfortable with.
At The Holiday retirement communities, we offer a variety of meal options to promote healthy living and appeal to a wide range of tastes. There are activities, games, entertainment, and programs to help seniors live their life to the fullest. With regular excursions and outdoor events, we provide many different options to help keep our residents engaged, active, and happy. We take care of each one of our residents like they are our own family.
Give us a call at 860-233-8208 to learn more about the services and amenities we provide at our retirement communities in Rhode Island and West Hartford, Connecticut. Fill out this online form if you would like to book a tour.
You might also want to check our related posts: