Spicy Curries Could Lower Risk of Bowel Cancer

21/05/2015

There are many reasons people eat hot and spicy curries. The common and undeniable reason is because they are delicious and that fact has been proved. Some people believe they can even aid in weight loss.

In recent news it has been claimed that spicy curries could even lower your chances of getting bowel cancer.

Researchers have claimed the chemical compound capsaicin in curries could potentially help reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Capsaicin is found in chilli peppers and the compound is responsible for making chillies hot.

Capsaicin has also been used in medical remedies to offer pain relief and reduce skin irritations.

Researchers tested capsaicin on genetically altered mice. These mice were prone to developing tumours in their bowels and when they were given capsaicin it triggered a protein reaction on the lining of the intestines. This biological response helped to reduce the risk of growing tumours.

When eating hot curries, capsaicin triggers the pain receptor within the lining of the intestines. The pain receptor TRPV1 is responsible for causing painful responses and initiating inflammatory reactions in the body. When you eat spicy food, the TRPV1 receptor reacts to the capsaicin and this reaction is beneficial to creating a healthy bowel system.

The genetically altered mice had lower deficiencies in TRPV1 and their insufficiencies made them more prone to cancer growth. Including capsaicin into the mice’s diet helped to stimulate the TRPV1 and researchers discovered the lifespan of the mice was increased by 30%.

The researchers’ findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and they have recommended anyone who is at risk of bowel cancer should have capsaicin as part of a healthy diet.

At the moment there have been no clinical trials on humans but the researchers are confident there will be beneficial results for humans just like there were on the tested mice.

It is difficult to find a tasty meal that can also provide benefits to your health. Hot spicy curries help create a healthy digestive system and they are delicious.

Whether your preference is for the hot and highly spiced Madras or perhaps a less fiery curry, Nawaab Manchester has a great selection of Indian curries for every palate.