Secret to cutting calories is hiding in your spice rack: Study spills the beans

Capsaicin, a compound that makes chili peppers burn the tongue, plays a significant role in cutting down your calorie intake.

Concerned about weight gain? According to a new study, the secret to naturally reducing your calorie intake might already be in your kitchen. Research led by Paige Cunningham at Penn State University found that adding hot peppers to your meals can naturally cut food intake by up to 18%.

Adding hot peppers to your food can help in reducing calorie intake.(Unsplash)

The study suggests that spicy foods not only make meals more enjoyable but also help you eat less. This is thanks to capsaicin, the compound in hot peppers that creates a burning sensation on the tongue, encouraging people to feel satisfied and finish their meals sooner.

Findings of the study

The study authors selected 130 adults for the study and separated them into groups. Each group was given identical meals to consume with one key difference - some contained regular sweet paprika, while others used hot paprika that created a noticeable burning sensation.

The researchers noticed that people who consumed the spicy version of the meal naturally started consuming less by taking smaller and slower bites of their food. They bodies, when confronted with the spice, naturally reacted and changed their consumption pattern, without any conscious efforts from their end.

A compound in hot peppers can slow down your food intake.(Unsplash)

How spice can reduce your food intake

When the body encounters capsaicin, it naturally slows down consumption speed, giving more time to process the mouthful. People having spicy food take small and less frequent bites, reducing their calorie intake. Eating slower helps in consuming fewer calories, thus fast tracking the weight loss journey. Spicy food helps in achieving this eating pattern without much conscious effort or behaviour modification.

In the paper, the study authors noted, “Properties of food can be strategically modified to influence oral processing behavior and slow eating, which in turn can reduce food and energy intake. Specifically, we show across different foods that increasing the oral burn of a meal by adding dried chili pepper not only influences oral processing, but that it also decreases consumption.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.