Want to Cut Calories? Spice Up Your Food Today
Adding a touch of chili to your meals might help you naturally eat less without feeling hungry or unsatisfied. That’s the finding from a new study by researchers at Penn State University, who discovered that spicier meals can reduce food intake by slowing down how quickly we eat.
How Spicy Food Affects Eating Habits
The research team looked at how “oral burn” the heat sensation from chili peppers influences eating behavior. They found that when meals were made slightly spicier, participants ate more slowly and consumed fewer calories overall.
“Slower eating gives your body more time to register fullness, which can lead to eating less,” explained lead researcher Dr. Paige Cunningham. “We wanted to see if adding a bit of heat not enough to make food unpleasant, but enough to notice would change how much people eat.”
Spicy vs. Mild Meals
The study involved 130 adults who were served lunch in a controlled setting. Each participant was given one of two popular dishes beef chili or chicken tikka masala prepared in either a mild or spicy version. The level of heat was carefully adjusted using a blend of hot and sweet paprika to keep the flavor consistent while changing the spiciness.
Researchers recorded the meals on the video to analyze eating behaviors — including bite-size, speed, and total amount eaten. They also asked participants to rate their hunger and enjoyment before and after eating.
Key Findings
- People ate slower and consumed less food when meals were spicier.
- Enjoyment of the food didn’t change, despite the increased heat.
- Participants still felt full afterwards — even though they ate less.
- Water intake stayed the same, so drinking more water wasn’t the reason they ate less.
“These results show that adding chili could be a simple and natural way to help control how much we eat,” said Dr. John Hayes, senior author of the study and professor of food science.
Why It Works
When we eat spicy food, we tend to take smaller bites and chew more slowly. This extra time allows the body’s natural fullness signals to kick in, helping prevent overeating. This is similar to how tougher textures like chewy or crunchy foods also help reduce intake by slowing down the eating process.
What This Means for You
If you’re looking to manage your weight or simply want to avoid overeating, adding a moderate amount of chili to your meals might help. It’s not about making food painfully hot, but using enough spice to slightly slow down your eating pace.
And the best part? You don’t have to give up taste. The study found people liked the spicy meals just as much as the mild ones.
Conclusion
The team now plans to explore how chili heat influences other eating behaviors, such as snacking between meals. Understanding how spice affects appetite could lead to more effective and natural ways to support healthy eating.
Source: Inputs from various media Sources
Priya Bairagi
Reviewed by Dr Aarti Nehra (MBBS, MMST)
I’m a pharmacist with a strong background in health sciences. I hold a BSc from Delhi University and a pharmacy degree from PDM University. I write articles and daily health news while interviewing doctors to bring you the latest insights. In my free time, you’ll find me at the gym or lost in a sci-fi novel.
