ScienceDaily published an article about recent research from Purdue University, indicating that red pepper can aid in curbing appetite and keep people from overeating, especially for people who do not normally eat the spice. The findings of the study are published in Physiology & Behavior.
The study measured the spice’s effects, sprinkling a gram (half a teaspoon) of ground cayenne pepper on food. Twenty-five non-overweight people participated in the six-week study and the amount of pepper that each group could comfortable enjoy on their food was determined before the six weeks began. Overall, red pepper consumption showed an increase in core body temperature, and those participants burned more calories. Participants who, prior to the study, had not consumed much red pepper, often reported a decrease in hunger, especially for fatty, salty and sweet foods, during the six weeks that they did consume the spice.
According to Richard Mattes, professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue, “The appetite responses were different between those who liked red pepper and those who did not, suggesting that when the stimulus is unfamiliar it has a greater effect. Once it becomes familiar to people, it loses its efficacy.” He concluded that “This finding should be considered a piece of the puzzle because the idea that one small change will reverse the obesity epidemic is simply not true. However, if a number of small changes are added together, they may be meaningful in terms of weight management. Dietary changes that don’t require great effort to implement, like sprinkling red pepper on your meal, may be sustainable and beneficial in the long run, especially when paired with exercise and healthy eating.”
You can read ScienceDaily’s article here.
Nutrition & Lifestyle