Turns out there are plenty of health-focused reasons for adding some extra spice to your food, says new research.
A Recent Study Discovered 11 Health Effects of Chili Peppers
Published on Mar. 25, 2025
Spicy food has established itself as a hot food trend for the past few years, particularly on social media thanks to everything from viral spicy chip or curry challenges to the popular celebrity interview YouTube show Hot Ones. But picking a pepper can do more than just wake up your taste buds (and brain) during your next meal—it just might ease some physical ailments, too.
A February 2025 study, conducted by two researchers based at the University of Mosul’s Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry in Iraq, took a closer look at one particular type of pepper: the chili pepper. Their findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Chemistry & Biodiversity.
Though the study appears to focus on one particular type of chili pepper—the red chili pepper—Britannica suggests many peppers fit under the chili pepper label, including cayenne, jalapeno, habanero, and some particularly hot ones including the Carolina reaper or ghost chili pepper. The authors do suggest that there’s “limited medicinal research” around the subject of consuming chili peppers, which necessitated “the confirmation of the results from animal studies.”
Noting that the chili pepper “is rich in natural medicinally bioactive compounds,” the study suggests the pepper might be helpful in treating multiple health disorders, including:
- Abnormal coagulation (issues related to proper blood clotting)
- Oxidative stress
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Inflammation
- Cancer
- Microbe-inducing diseases
Capsaicin, the chemical compound in chili peppers that gives off that spicy, burning sensation when eaten, has long been used as a “homeopathic remedy” for burning pain “using the concept of ‘treating like with like’ or counter-irritant,’ according to the National Library of Medicine. The study’s authors noted this as well, saying it has the potential to be an “effective anesthetic agent and topical preparation in relieving pain.”
In addition, the researchers remarked, “Recently, capsaicinoids, particularly capsaicin, have been shown to manage the symptoms of significant viral diseases, including COVID-19.” However, it is not further clarified in the available text how capsaicin can be ideally eaten or ingested via capsaicin supplements for optimal results.
The study also addresses the pepper’s role in the “mitigation of chronic disease” in connection with the TRPV1 receptor. The capsaicin found in chili peppers activates the TRPV1 receptor, which can play in a major role in pain and inflammation in the body, per previous research.
Finally, the study suggests that the chemicals found in chili peppers offer “not only beneficial and inexpensive” options for plant-based alternatives in disease management, but that they can be used “as scaffolds for the production of novel medicines.”
So go ahead, embrace the spice (or give it a try if you’ve been skittish previously).
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