For some, spicy food can not only be handled, but enjoyed. For others, however, near-death experiences ensue. It’s going to be very difficult encouraging someone belonging to the latter group to start indulging in spicy food more often, but thankfully there are different levels of ‘hotness’ that might make it a possibility.

Why, you ask, would I want someone to start eating a food that leaves them with a red-face and burning mouth? Because it turns out that these spicy foods can have an incredible effect on many aspects of your health. The Huffington Post has more:

3. Longevity

The secret to living longer may very well be eating a hot pepper or two…or three. A study by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Harvard School of Public Health looked at the eating habits of 500,000 people aged 30-79 in China over a five-year period, and found that the people who ate spicy foods six or seven times a week had a 14 percent lower risk of dying prematurely. “That number isn’t huge, but it is statistically significant,” says Dr. Presant. If that’s not convincing enough, Dr. Peeke looks at the idea of spicy food aiding in longevity this way: “Eating spicy foods helps with cancer prevention, you have a healthier heart, and they help you lose weight. All those things together can definitely help you live longer,” she says.

So, if you feel like dying after eating hot food, it may counterintuitively be aiding the exact opposite–longevity. Check out the full post for more benefits, including weight loss and heart disease.

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