Does spicy food help you to lose weight? The short answer is yes – if you consider losing weight as a way to improve your health. There is plenty of evidence that suggests that eating spicy food can help to shed those extra pounds and offer some health advantages. However, when you are following a diet plan, you need to be careful not to overdo it and end up hurting your health in the long term.
Empowers Metabolism
When you eat spicier food, your body immediately begins to react by increasing its metabolic rate. This suggests that spicy food can help to improve health by encouraging the body to process more calories and therefore burn more fat. According to the American Dietetic Association, there is some evidence that diets high in both nutrients and spice significantly increase the metabolic rate. One study found that adults who consumed the most spicy food had the greatest increase in resting metabolic rate – the amount of energy the body burns while at rest – and that this was likely because of capsaicin, the compound that gives chilies their kick.
In another study, obese individuals who consumed the hottest food consumed least calories and had an increased resting metabolic rate. Not only that, but they also had a lower body mass index (BMI). A low BMI is considered to be a sign of health and is associated with lower rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. So, by consuming spicy food, you could increase your body’s ability to fight disease and improve your general health.
Healthy Hormones
Chilies contain compounds that can interfere with the body’s hormonal function, leading to an increase in metabolism. One such compound is capsaicin, which mimics the action of certain hormones in the body, particularly insulin. Capsaicin enhances the effects of insulin, enabling the body to use blood glucose more effectively and therefore reduce hunger. Because of its ability to make the body more effectively use insulin, capsaicin is considered a nutritional amplifier.
Weight Loss
There is indeed evidence that suggests spicy food can help to promote weight loss, probably as a result of the increased metabolism. Chili peppers are renowned for their diuretic properties, which means they cause you to lose more urine – a bonus if you’re aiming for weight loss! However, you need to be careful not to overdo it and eat too much chili, as too much capsaicin can cause kidney damage and problems with calcium metabolism. For that reason, consuming spicy food occasionally can help to shed those extra pounds, but eating it too often could do more harm than good.
Reduces Arthritis Pain
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps to reduce many common ailments, especially those that are attributed to aging. One of the major benefits that fruits offer is their ability to reduce inflammation. This is because of the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that are naturally present in them. Chili peppers are no different, and they have been shown to reduce the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis and rheumatism. When tested on animals with osteoarthritis, chili pepper compounds were able to significantly reduce the joint damage caused by the disease. So, while it might not be suitable for everyone, eating chili peppers during arthritis pain could be an effective way to reduce inflammation and therefore feel better.
Dietary Fiber
This is an area where it’s important to note that you need to be very careful about what you consume, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. While it is generally known that fiber-rich food helps to keep you full for longer, it also slows the absorption of nutrients from food and encourages you to eat less. This is important if you want to lose weight because it suggests that foods with high fiber content may interfere with the body’s natural appetite mechanisms and encourage you to eat less than you normally do. So, if you want to lose weight, it’s best to avoid foods with high fiber content or at least limit yourself to eating them occasionally.
Overall
It can be said that spicy food helps to improve your health in many ways. There is evidence to suggest that it can increase your body’s ability to fight disease, reduce the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis and rheumatism, and even help to promote weight loss. However, you need to be careful about how much you eat and make sure you don’t overdo it. While it can be a great addition to your diet, there are many other ways to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, so you don’t have to sacrifice flavor for health.