Eating curry can help beat the stress of the recession thanks to the release of pleasure-inducing endorphins, new research claims.

Chicken or beef madras is most likely to bring stress relief, according to the research by takeaway food website www.Just-Eat.co.uk. Vindaloo, Thai red curry, pasanda and jalfrezi were the next most effective.

Researchers found spicy curries had similar stress-busting properties to exercise, with the inclusion of red chilli peppers thought to be key to their impact.

Although Chinese food has replaced Indian as the top choice for takeaways, Indian cuisine has long been a favourite in the UK and recent research from Mintel shows sales of Indian food products surpassed Chinese food sales by £189m in the last year alone - suggesting Britons favour cooking Indian food at home. They are also turning their backs on ready meals in order to cook their own healthier versions.

Not only do red chilli peppers help relieve stress, they are a good source of vitamins A and C, have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the spread of prostrate cancer.

The press is continually highlighting food and drink that has adverse affects on our health so it comes as a welcome respite to find something that is good for us. And their use does not need to be confined solely to curries. Red chilli peppers can be used to spice up a multitude of dishes.

Do you regularly include red chillis in your diet and if so have you discovered their stress-busting properties?