Eating More of This Particular Veggie Could Lead to a Longer Life

Sure, you may have heard that trading sugar for healthy fats (avocados FTW!) is a wise thing to do to add more healthy years to your life (spoiler alert: sugar kills). But new research shows that there’s something else you might want to start eating to boost your longevity.

According to a new study from the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, eating chili peppers could lead to a longer lifespan. Researchers kept tabs on 16,000 Americans for over two decades, and one of their big takeaways was that people who popped peppers on the reg had a 12 percent lower mortality rate than those who didn’t.

So what makes the spicy veg a lifesaver? Doctors believe the powers lie in capsaicin, red pepper’s main component, which has been linked to regulating metabolism, lowering cholesterol, and supporting a healthy microbiome. And, hey, capsaicin is also known as an aphrodisiac—adjust your Valentine’s Day menu accordingly.

FYI, while red hot chili peppers may give you life, Sriracha, well, won’t.