How to live longer: Add this spice to your meals to increase your life expectancy
HOW TO live longer: Research over the years has found some simple changes to your lifestyle can make for a longer and more satisfying lifespan. Certain foods you eat can help increase your life expectancy, and one recommended by experts to include in your diet is an antioxidant-boosting spice.
How to live longer is a question many people start to ask themselves as they get old.
Quitting smoking can cut your risk of dying from cancer related to smoking and slash your risk of stroke.
And alongside exercise, eating a healthy, balanced diet is crucial to helping you live longer, according to the NHS.
One food recommended by medical consultant Dr Sarah Brewer and dietitian Juliette Kellow is black pepper.
Black pepper is heart-friendly as it cuts the need for salt and contains digestion-boosting piperine.
Black pepper is heart-friendly as it cuts the need for salt and contains digestion-boosting piperine
The medicinal and longevity properties of spices have been known about since ancient times, according to the two experts.
Now scientific studies are providing evidence to back up their potential health benefits, which include cancer protection and improving memory.
In their book titled ‘Eat Better Live Longer’, Dr Brewer and Ms Kellow say you should add spices liberally to your meals every day for salt-free flavourings.
The pair then go on to list the numerous health benefits of spices.
Protect against cancer
Several spices have been linked to protecting against cancer, including ginger and black pepper. But the strongest evidence so far is for turmeric, say Dr Brewer and Ms Kellow.
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They add: “Several lab-based studies show that curcumin in turmeric seems to be able to kill cancer cells, particularly in the breast, bowel, stomach and skin, plus it even seem to prevent more from growing.”
Fights inflammation
The duo write: “Lab-based tests show many spices act as anti-inflammatories, but it’s curcumin (in turmeric) and ginger that top the list.
“Several studies how signs of inflammation are reduced in people when capsules containing these spices are taken.
“It’s good news for fighting ageing as long-term inflammation can lead to health problems such as inflammatory bowel disease, some cancers, dementia and arthritis.
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Pain reliever
Ginger’s strong anti-inflammatory action may help to relieve pain associated with conditions such as arthritis, say Dr Brewer and Ms Kellow.
They add: “A review of five studies found taking ginger reduced pain by nearly a third and disability by 22 per cent in people with osteoarthritis.
“Another study found ginger was just as effective as an anti-inflammatory pain killer at reducing painful periods.”