For many people, there’s nothing more satisfying than a hot, spicy meal.
But some research suggests that capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their kick, might cause cancer.
In a recent study, scientists found that the pungent compound in ginger, 6-ginergol, could counteract capsaicin’s potentially harmful effects. In combination with capsaicin, 6-gingerol could lower the risk of cancer.
Both chili peppers and ginger are widely used spices in certain cuisines, particularly in Asia, and have been studied for potential health effects.
Although some studies found that peppers can have benefits, others suggest that diets rich in capsaicin might be associated with stomach cancer.
Ginger, however, has shown promise as a health-promoting ingredient.
In the study, the team found oddly enough, capsaicin and 6-gingerol both bind to the same cellular receptor — one that is related to tumor growth.
Over several weeks, they fed mice prone to lung cancer either capsaicin or 6-gingerol alone, or a combination of both.
During the study period, all of the mice that received only capsaicin developed lung cancer while only half of the mice fed 6-gingerol did.
Surprisingly, an even lower percentage — only 20% — of the mice given both compounds developed cancer.
The researchers also dug into the potential molecular underpinnings of how the compounds interact to lead to this effect.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that vitamin D could cut cancer death risk, and exercise could stop cancer in its tracks.
For more information about cancer, please see recent studies about a new method to treat cancer effectively, and results showing this daily vitamin is critical to cancer prevention.
The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and conducted by Shengnan Geng et al.
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