I've always been a big fan of hot and spicy foods. I'm not one of those "too hot is never hot enough" types; but I do like my hot stuff.

I hope you do too, because it scientists at Nottingham University have discovered that the key ingredient in hot sauce, a molecule known as capsaicin, maybe the key to targeting and killing cancer cells.

The study showed that the family of molecules to which capsaicin belongs, the vanilloids, bind to proteins in the cancer cell mitochondria to trigger apoptosis, or cell death, without harming surrounding healthy cells.

Capsaicin was tested on cultures of human lung cancer cells and on pancreatic cancers.

Lead researcher Dr Timothy Bates said: "As these compounds attack the very heart of the tumour cells, we believe that we have in effect discovered a fundamental 'Achilles heel' for all cancers.

My anniversary is coming up. I wonder if my better half would consider a nice Mexican dinner for our celebration?

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Image courtesy of wikipedia. If you'd like to learn more about that amazing "Hot Stuff" molecule, I suggest you start your search at the top, the ultimate, the world's single most hottest pepper, the Habanero

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