Spicy Food Health Perks

Eat spicy food, live longer? It's possible. Regularly eating dishes with red hot chili peppers may boost your odds of outliving people who don't. Scientists say the jury's still out, though.

And all chili peppers may help with weight loss. How? They rev your metabolism, which burns calories more quickly. They might also get digestive juices flowing, which helps your stomach break down food faster.

How big of a benefit you get depends on how much capsaicin they're packing. This is the compound in chili peppers that makes your tongue feel the burn. Capsaicin is also used in creams, gels, and patches to ease nerve and arthritis pain. Enjoy.