Published in Cell Metabolism Journal, Chinese researchers have discovered that long term consumption of consumption of capsaicin as part of a normal diet of rats bred to have high blood pressure helps rest blood vessels making blood pressure drop benefiting blood pressure control.  Capsaicin is the compound that adds spicy taste to hot peppers.

Earlier studies showed in  short term exposure to capsaicin produced conflicting results in hypertensive rats as this new study is the first one that looks at the effects of treatment long term. Follow up studies will be needed to see if capsaicin benefits humans the same way, the researchers behind the study noted that in southwestern China where spicy food is consumed, the incidence of high blood pressure is much lower than elsewhere in China