Hot Peppers and Heart Health

There is some good news for those who like to add a little extra spice to their food. Chile peppers contain capsaicin, which can help your heart health. Capsaicin is the ingredient in chile peppers like cayenne, jalapeno and habanero that make your mouth hot.

How?

A study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that capsaicin lowers blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure and blocks a gene that causes arteries to contract. When an artery is contracted, it can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Diets that are plant based like the Mediterranean Diet have been shown to lower risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. These types of diets often contain many spices and peppers that have capsaicin in them. This does not mean down a whole jar of hot peppers, but adding them on top of a salad or grilled chicken to give it an extra kick could do the trick!