10/18/2018 / By Ellaine Castillo
Ginger and chili pepper are spices that are commonly used not just for culinary purposes but also for medicinal applications. Many studies have focused on the benefits that can be obtained from these spices when consumed individually. However, there aren’t many studies that delve into the potential benefits that can be acquired from eating the two of them together. In a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, it was revealed that more benefits can be acquired from eating ginger and chili pepper together since this combination could also prevent cancer.
The main bioactive compounds present in chili peppers and ginger are capsaicin and 6-gingerol, respectively. These compounds can be attributed to the the many health benefits that ginger and chili peppers have. Previous studies have shown that 6-gingerol has potent anticancer properties. On the other hand, some researchers believe that capsaicin, which gives chili peppers their flavor, might also be carcinogenic.
Researchers wanted to determine if the combination of ginger and chili pepper would exhibit anticancer properties like 6-gingerol or if it would promote tumor growth. They determined this through studies conducted on mice that had high lung cancer risk. Three setups were used for this study, one where only 6-gingerol was given, another for capsaicin alone, and lastly, a setup where both 6-gingerol and capsaicin were given. After several weeks, tumor development in the lungs of the mice was observed.
For the capsaicin-only setup, all mice exhibited tumor growth in their lungs. Meanwhile, only 50 percent of the 6-gingerol mice developed tumors, which is significantly better than capsaicin. The combination of capsaicin and 6-gingerol proved to be superior since only 20 percent of the mice given this treatment developed tumors.
It was determined that 6-gingerol binds to capsaicin when they are administered in tandem, which creates a stronger and more stable compound that can bind to cell receptors that promote tumor growth, consequently inhibiting their activity.
When consumed alone, ginger already exhibits potent anticancer effects but with the addition of chili peppers, it becomes so much more effective. (Related: Ginger destroys cancer cells more effectively than cancer drugs.)
As previously mentioned, there are many health benefits associated with ginger and chili peppers. These include the following:
Learn more about the synergistic anticancer effect of ginger and chili by visiting Cancer.news today.
Sources include:
Tagged Under: 6-gingerol, anticancer, capsaicin, chili peppers, functional foods, ginger, nutrition, tumors