Share this:
An ingredient in hot peppers has long been used in topical creams to relieve muscles aches and arthritis pain. Dr. DeLisa Fairweather, a Mayo Clinic cardiovascular disease researcher, says capsaicin, when included as part of a healthy diet, also may improve heart health.
Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (0:59) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.
"Hot peppers, or even green or red peppers, are able to reduce heart disease and reduce death from heart disease," says Dr. Fairweather.
Capsaicin has anti-inflammatory properties. Why is that important for heart health? Dr. Fairweather says inflammation drives plaque buildup in blood vessel walls. And since capsaicin reduces inflammation, it may help prevent that process from happening. Capsaicin also may help boost your immune system, further reducing risk.
"There really could be important benefits that you could have from eating hot chili peppers, especially in their ability to reduce some of these immune cell responses that are driving atherosclerosis and heart attacks," says Dr. Fairweather.
More research is needed to learn more about capsaicin and heart health. But Dr. Fairweather says including hot peppers in a healthy diet could be a great idea.
Share this:
Related articles
Algorithm seeks to address 'last-mile' barrier by identifying disease when cure still possible ROCHESTER, Minn. — Estimated to become the second leading cause of cancer deaths in ...
According to a recent study by the American Cancer Society, cancer is a leading cause of death among those of Hispanic heritage living in the U.S. Hispanic ...
If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you're in good company. Nearly half of the adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, and many ...