Researchers from Penn State found that a slightly spicier meal made people slow down and eat less. Adding a pinch of heat to dishes could be an effective way to cut calorie intake. The spice level doesn’t have to be unpleasant to make a person slow down; a slight increase in heat is enough!
The work is being published this month in Food Quality and Preference. The team was looking at how “oral burn” from chili peppers or other stimulants impacted how much people ate. The study used 130 adults eating beef chili or chicken tikka masala in two versions made with hot or sweet paprika. The finding could impact dieting culture.
“We know from previous studies that when people slow down, they eat significantly less,” said Dr. Paige Cunningham, lead author on the study. “We suspected that making a meal spicier might slow people down. We thought, let’s test, under controlled experimental conditions in the lab, if adding a small amount of spice, but not so much that the meal is inedible, will make people eat slower and therefore eat less.”
Prof. John Hayes, corresponding author on the paper, said, “While portion control wasn’t the explicit goal of this study, our results suggest this might work. Next time you’re looking to eat a little less, try adding a blast of chilies, as it may slow you down and help you eat less.”
The research was carefully controlled, and the recipes were tweaked so many times that people in the lab were sick of them before they fed them to participants. It was essential that the spice level not be unpleasant. They wanted to be sure people eating the spicy meal ate until they were full, not that they weren’t eating because it was too spicy. The people who ate the spicy versions enjoyed the meals and ate until they were full; they just ate more slowly and ate less before they were full.
Other studies have found health benefits related to capsaicin found in chili peppers. It can lower bad cholesterol and aid blood flow. Spicy foods can dilate blood vessels and improve circulation. Plus, they may help manage blood sugar.
This study doesn’t mean hot wing challenges are good for the waistline. But adding a little heat to your dish may aid your weight management plan. If you don’t like spicy foods, you don’t have to worry; you don’t have to “bring the heat” to see a difference. Even a slight elevation will help you slow down. The slower you eat, the faster you feel full and the less you eat without feeling deprived.
