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Warning to those wanting to spice up their lives

Date:
July 22, 2019
Source:
University of South Australia
Summary:
Think twice before adding that extra kick of chili sauce or chopped jalapeno to your meal. New research shows a spicy diet could be linked to dementia.
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Think twice before adding that extra kick of chili sauce or chopped jalapeno to your meal. New research involving the University of South Australia shows a spicy diet could be linked to dementia.

A 15-year study of 4582 Chinese adults aged over 55 found evidence of faster cognitive decline in those who consistently ate more than 50 grams of chili a day. Memory decline was even more significant if the chili lovers were slim.

The study, led by Dr Zumin Shi from Qatar University, showed that those who consumed in excess of 50 grams of chili a day had almost double the risk of memory decline and poor cognition.

"Chili consumption was found to be beneficial for body weight and blood pressure in our previous studies. However, in this study, we found adverse effects on cognition among older adults," Dr Zumin says.

UniSA epidemiologist Dr Ming Li, one of five researchers involved in the study, says chili intake included both fresh and dried chili peppers but not sweet capsicum or black pepper.

"Chili is one of the most commonly used spices in the world and particularly popular in Asia compared to European countries," Dr Li says. "In certain regions of China, such as Sichuan and Hunan, almost one in three adults consume spicy food every day."

Capsaicin is the active component in chili which reportedly speeds up metabolism, fat loss and inhibits vascular disorders but this is the first longitudinal study to investigate the association between chili intake and cognitive function.

Those who ate a lot of chili had a lower income and body mass index (BMI) and were more physically active compared to non-consumers. Researchers say people of normal body weight may be more sensitive to chili intake than overweight people, hence the impact on memory and weight. Education levels may also play a role in cognitive decline and this link requires further research.


Story Source:

Materials provided by University of South Australia. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Zumin Shi, Tahra El-Obeid, Malcolm Riley, Ming Li, Amanda Page, Jianghong Liu. High Chili Intake and Cognitive Function among 4582 Adults: An Open Cohort Study over 15 Years. Nutrients, 2019; 11 (5): 1183 DOI: 10.3390/nu11051183

Cite This Page:

University of South Australia. "Warning to those wanting to spice up their lives." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 July 2019. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190722105939.htm>.
University of South Australia. (2019, July 22). Warning to those wanting to spice up their lives. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190722105939.htm
University of South Australia. "Warning to those wanting to spice up their lives." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190722105939.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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