Overview

The claim that eating hot peppers can make you lose weight has some truth to it. Scientific studies have found a link between eating spicy foods and increased metabolism. But before you start adding red hot peppers to your meals, know the theory and consequences behind peppers and pounds.

Metabolism

If you want to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your body needs in a day to increase your body’s calorie burn. The number of calories your body burns, also called your metabolic rate, depends on factors such as your activity level, heat generation, age, sex, weight and height. You can easily increase your metabolism by increasing your activity level through exercise. However, you can also raise your metabolism by eating hot foods, which increase your heat production.

Hot Peppers

Hot peppers and chilies contain molecules called capsaicins. When you eat capsaicins, they stimulate your sensory neuron receptors, which in turn leads to heat sensation, sweating and redness. Capsaicins can also bind molecules in your muscle cells and increase the amount of heat your muscles produce. This effect on your muscles is called thermogenesis. Your muscles burn energy to produce heat and, thus, eating capsaicins can increase your metabolism and body temperature.

Peppers and Weight Loss

When you eat hot peppers, your body begins to produce heat and burn more calories. A spicy meal can raise your metabolic rate by 8 percent. In addition, according to a study published in 2007 inthe journal, “Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry,” people who ate capsinoids for four weeks saw an increase in their body’s fat-burning rate. If capsaicin has this effect on your body, eating hot pepper may help you lose weight.

Considerations

Although hot peppers and capsaicins increase your metabolic rate, the are not for everyone. If you suffer from stomach ulcers and heartburn, spicy foods can make these conditions worse. In addition, hot peppers will cause a burning sensation in your mouth and increase sweating and redness, which are uncomfortable and sometimes even painful sensations for some people.