Alternative Therapies

Last year we heard that spicy food can kill cancer. Now we know how : Apparently the spicy stuff in peppers – capsaicin can kill cancer cells by targeting the cancer cells’ mitochondria, or power source and there are possibilities that new drugs could be developed to exploit this capability.

Scientists discovered that capsaicin, found in jalapeno peppers, triggers cancer cell death by attacking mitochondria – the cells’ energy-generating boiler rooms.

The study showed how capsaican can fight cancer cells without harming the surrounding healthy cells. The tests were conducted on cultures of human lung cancer cells and on pancreatic cancers.

This research can help in developing drugs or diatary supplements to fight cancer. It is also possible that cancer patients could be advised to eat a diet rich in spicy foods to help treat or prevent the disease.

But this does not mean that eating vast quantities of chilli pepper alone can prevent or treat cancer. The experiments were only conducted on cancer cells grown in laboratory, and they have not yet been tested to see if they are safe and effective in humans.

Cancer Research UK recommends reducing your cancer risk by eating a healthy, balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables.