People who love hot peppers like habaneros, jalapenos, and serranos may have the edge when it comes to losing weight. A recent study suggests a chemical compound found in these fiery vegetables may increase the body's ability to burn calories.
Do Hot Peppers Help Weight Loss?
The substance called capsaicin found in spicy peppers is the agent that causes the body to respond by pumping out adrenaline, which in turn increases the heart rate, and eventually the person consuming the peppers will find themselves sweating. Scientists believe that this increase in heart rate can raise body temperature, metabolism, and therefore the body's ability to burn calories.
Recent Study Researches Effect of Dihydrocapsiate Supplement
Dihydrocapsiate (DCT) is a substance in the capsaicin family, and researchers at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition used it in a pill form to test its effect on weight loss, since not all people can tolerate eating spicy peppers on a regular basis.
In the study, 34 people who were taking part in a liquid diet were split into two groups. One group was given the DCT supplement and the other group was given a placebo pill which would have no effect on weight loss. Researchers found that the group that took the DCT pill before each meal burned more calories and fat than the control group.
The Future of DCT in Diet and Weight Loss
While dieters would love to hear a magic pill can help them drop the pounds, this study is just starting to look at the connection between capsaicin and losing weight. The study was done on a very small scale, and the participants were already on a low calorie liquid diet. While the results are promising, researchers can not be sure whether the DCT was responsible for the weight loss or the low caloric intake, and its effects will also need to be tested on people who consume solid food.
The study of DCT's effect on weight loss is very encouraging in this study, and more will need to be learned on its effect on a larger sample of people on different diets and with different body types. Hopefully in the near future dieters can add in DCT for a natural boost to burning calories, but for now dieters can depend on a low-calorie, low-fat diet paired with exercise to increase metabolism, and weight loss.
Sources:
The Boston Channel: "Peppers May Ignite Weight Loss" April 28, 2010
Health News: " Spicy Peppers Raise Body Temp and Burn Calories " April 28, 2010
Laura Wilson - Relatively new to the writing community, Laura Wilson is spending time writing about children, parenting, health, and education. She ...
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