Can Eating Spices Boost Weight Loss?

Common Spices May Boost Metabolism and Help With Weight Control

Jul 14, 2009 Kristie Leong

Spices add more than a pleasant taste to food, they may also give a subtle boost to the metabolism. Can eating spices help with weight control?

Can eating spicy foods help with weight loss as some studies suggest? Could the same spices that set the mouth on fire in Mexican dishes also ignite the metabolism and lead to greater fat loss? This would be welcome news for those who love spicy food and have a few extra pounds to lose.

Eating Spices for Fat Loss

A group of Canadian researchers looked back through past research studies and found that certain spices have the potential to increase the rate of thermogenesis or fat metabolism. These include such common spices as black pepper, ginger, and red chili pepper, as well as capsaicin, a chemical found in red chili peppers that gives them their red hot, fiery taste. They also believe that eating these spices in combination with one another might produce an even greater effect on fat metabolism and weight loss than eating a single one.

Capsaicin: A Spice With Thermogenic Potential

Capsaicin is natural chemical that’s long intrigued researchers because of its thermogenic properties. In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, researchers discovered how capsaicin may enhance thermogenesis. They found that capsaicin uncouples the action of a protein involved in muscle contraction, causing the energy to be released as heat, resulting in a slight increase in body temperature and metabolic rate.

Another study showed that eating capsaicin with a meal boosted the rate of thermogenesis by as much as twenty-three percent. Although this sounds promising, research suggests that it would take large quantities of this chemical to have a significant impact on fat loss, greater than most people could achieve through eating spices. The hope is that this finding could be used to create similar compounds that work to increase thermogenesis at lower doses.

Eating Spices for Weight Loss: Does It Have Potential?

Despite this, there may be some benefit to eating spices when it comes to weight loss, although the results are unlikely to be effective in the absence of a good diet and exercise plan. The benefits of eating spices may be two-fold. Spicy foods tend to satiate the appetite more quickly than bland foods, particularly foods that are both hot and spicy. Combine that with the subtle boost in thermogenesis induced by the spices and a slight weight loss benefit might be achieved. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to replace the need for healthy eating choices. The bottom line? A healthy diet and regular exercise are still the best way to achieve lasting weight loss.

References:

Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2008; 283 (31): 21418

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Red pepper may help with weight loss.