Study: spicy foods may help you live longer

UNDATED (CNN) — A new study, conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, says spicy foods may help you live longer.

Using self-reported questionnaires, they analyzed the spicy food consumption of nearly half a million people between the ages of 30 and 70 across 10 regions in China.

The study found people who ate spicy foods six or seven times a week had a 14% lower risk of death compared to people who only ate spicy food less than once a week.

The study points to the benefits of capsaicin, a bio-active ingredient in chili peppers, which has been previously linked to health perks.

Researchers say more study is needed to determine definitively if spicy food provides a protective effect.