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This Is Why You May Be Losing Your Temper At The Drop Of A Hat

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Are you easily excitable? Do you find it difficult to manage your temper? Is aggression a familiar reaction in you? Maybe you need to pay more attention to the food you are eating.

According to behavioural researchers, people with a fondness for spicy food are more prone to aggressive behaviour, which is also believed to be triggered by video games and hot weather. According to a report in The Telegraph, a paper published by scholars from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, and the University of Texas at Austin in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology claims that there may be a strong correlation between consumption of spicy food and aggression.

Based on an experiment conducted with 237 students, who were tested for levels of aggression and their reaction before and after eating tortilla chips, with or without chilli sauce, the findings reveal a striking change of behaviour in the participants.

Scientific investigation has already shown that the presence of capsaicin, the compound which makes chilli peppers hot and spicy, could be responsible for weight loss. Since this has been proven in the case of laboratory mice, it may not be unrealistic to expect a comparable effect on human bodies too. The impact of capsaicin is evident on Type 2 diabetes though, especially in the way it helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Apart from these benefits, spicy food is supposed to enhance levels of testosterone in male bodies and apparently cuts down chances of heart disease and stroke by at least 13%.

The latest research, reported in The Telegraph, signals an increase in risk-taking behaviour and heated debates among people who eat spicy food. Given the frequent incidences of road rage on Indian streets as well as aggressive behaviour in personal and professional spaces, there may well be more than a grain of truth in these conclusions. Better think twice before biting into that green chilli next time.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.