If you’re the kind of guy who puts the “sir” in sriracha, then a new study from the University of Vermont College of Medicine has great news for you: eating with heat could help you live longer.

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Researchers looked at data from 16,179 people over the age of 18 obtained from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III. Participants disclosed how many chili peppers they consumed over the past month during a food frequency survey. When researchers followed up with participants 18.9 years later, the all-cause and cause-specific mortality of the 4,946 subjects who died were tracked through the National Death Index – aka the worst index ever.

It revealed that people who consumed chili peppers reduced their risks of all-cause mortality (death from any cause) by 13 percent, compared to those who didn’t eat any. Cause-specific mortality is a challenge to gauge because a small portion of the original cohort passed away for a variety of reasons. Still, past studies show hot peppers can help prevent heart disease, cancer, and even obesity. Their findings conclude that it has something to do with capsaicin — the active component in chili peppers.

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Not only could eating a few more hot peppers increase the number of years you have (and have to destroy your bathroom), but they can also help with your family’s longevity, too. And when you kid is old enough, these tips will help introduce hot red chili peppers into their diet. As for The Red Hot Chili Peppers? Maybe wait longer before you introduce Junior to them … unless you want a tiny human telling you to “suck their kiss.”

[H/T] Medical News Today