10 Benefits Of Spicy Foods
Spicy Foods Benefit #8: Heart Health
One study released in the journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that chili peppers play a role in decreasing blood pressure, bad cholesterol levels, and blocking a gene that makes arteries contract. Contracted arteries can lead to dangerous blockages of blood flow, which can eventually lead to a heart attack or stroke.
In this study, researchers fed hamsters high cholesterol diets. They then added foods with capsaicinoids, the primary compound in peppers. They found the spicy addition to the diet was accompanied with lower cholesterol levels and less plaque in arterial walls, thus more relaxed arteries. Though consuming a pile of chili peppers is not likely in the common diet, adding it to balanced meals may be beneficial to heart health.
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