If you’ve been struggling to lose weight even after relegating yourself to flavourless chicken breast and broccoli, it could be time to spice things up – both literally and figuratively.
According to recent findings published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, something as simple as adding a little heat to your lunch could help slow down the way you eat – leading to greater satisfaction and potentially fewer calories consumed overall.
The study, led by researchers from the University of Sussex and carried out across 198 adult participants, investigated whether spicier meals altered oral processing behaviours.
That is, how quickly and how much people ate when consuming meals of varying spiciness levels. The result? Meals enhanced with dried chilli pepper led participants to take smaller bites and eat more slowly – behaviours associated with improved satiety and reduced energy intake.
How chilli works for weight loss
Capsaicin – the active compound in chilli that gives it its heat – is already well-known for its thermogenic properties (increasing body temperature and metabolism) and its mild appetite-suppressing effects.
Participants consumed the same dishes – a tomato-based soup, a beef patty, and a curried rice meal – with varying levels of dried chilli. As the spiciness increased, so too did the time taken to eat, with participants naturally slowing down and chewing more thoroughly.
The oral ‘burn’ produced by chilli appears to trigger a self-regulating effect, leading to smaller bites, longer pauses and ultimately, a reduced overall intake.
Practical ways to put it into practice
The researchers stress that moderate levels of heat are enough to achieve these effects – think a gentle tingle, not a five-alarm fire.
If you are looking to experiment, the easiest place to start is lunch: the one meal often consumed quickly, on the go, or at your desk. Consider adding a pinch of dried chilli flakes to a soup (we love this chilli con carne version), a smear of chilli paste to a sandwich, or a splash of hot sauce to a pasta dish. Even a spicy salad dressing or chilli-infused oil can elevate a dish without overwhelming the palate.
While it’s not a silver bullet for weight loss, incorporating more spice into meals is simple, cost-effective, and delicious way to up your lunch game all the same.
