Capsaicin has been shown to relax blood vessels and this lowers blood pressure, reducing the chances of having a heart attack.
Chinese scientists have uncovered this property of capsaicin where they observed its powers in tests with laboratory rats. And the scientists have also worked out that people in the north east China have a much lower rate of hypertension (high blood pressure) than in other parts of China because they eat more spicy food – food with chilli in it.
Capsaicin is found in the vein and seeds of a chilli and is the ingredient of chilli that makes the chilli “hot”.
Which makes a good curry that contains chilli not only a great meal but also a smart thing to eat to improve your health by lowering your blood pressure.
You can read more about this latest piece of research here.
We regularly write about the health properties of curry ingredients and you can read the Curry Focus health articles to find out more.