Chillies are a good source of antioxidants. Forty-two grams of the spice would account for your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, but that would make for a pretty strong spicy curry!  Chillies are also rich in vitamin A, as well as minerals such as iron and potassium.  Hot-heads who ate spicy food six or seven days a week have lower mortality rate.

While chillies are loaded with antioxidants, there may be some adverse effects on some individuals.

Eating chili can cause intestinal distress in some people. The symptoms may include abdominal pain, a burning sensation in your gut, cramps, and painful diarrhea.

Test-tube and animal studies indicate that capsaicin, a plant compound in chili peppers, may either increase or decrease your risk of cancer.

Eating chillies regularly has also been linked to faster cognitive decline.

A 15-year study of 4582 Chinese adults aged over 55 found evidence of faster cognitive decline in those who consistently ate more than 50 grams of chili a day. Memory decline was even more significant if the chili lovers were slim.

The study, led by Dr Zumin Shi from Qatar University, showed that those who consumed in excess of 50 grams of chili a day had almost double the risk of memory decline and poor cognition.

In 2018, a man from the United States who ate a Carolina Reaper as part of a dare in a hot pepper eating contest ended up in the emergency room with a thunderclap headache.