An international group of researchers led by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences examined the association between consumption of spicy food (Indian curry, for example) and the total risk of death for any reason.
The study followed retroactively 487,375 people enrolled in the study between 2004 and 2008. They all completed a questionnaire about their general health and their eating habits —including consumption of red meat, very spicy foods, vegetables and alcohol. Patients with a history of heart disease, stroke or cancer were excluded.
After taking into account factors such as age and physical activity, the researchers found that those who ate sharp spicy food at least once or twice a week had a 10% reduced risk of death notwithstanding the reason than those who ate it less than once a week. Those who ate sharp food even more frequently, had a reduced risk of death of 14% notwithstanding the reason.
This was true for both men and women, and was more pronounced among participants who did not consume alcohol.
The main pungent spice which the participants ate was fresh and dried chili pepper, which is rich in a number of important nutrients such as capsaicin and vitamin C.