Here’s a riddle…
What kind of fruit:
- Has more vitamin C than an orange?
- Supports healthy vision, circulation, and digestion?
- Is popular in entrees, desserts, AND cocktails?
- Can actually burn more calories than it contains?1
Well the answer is a little tricky, especially if you’re picturing SWEET fruits.
I’m actually talking about hot chili peppers.
That’s right — there’s more to chilis than their spicy flavor. They also pack HUGE health benefits.
And it’s all thanks to the unique compound that makes them hot: capsaicin.
This spicy-tasting compound has incredible effects all over your body.
For example, capsaicin raises your body temperature, which causes you to burn more calories.
In fact, a 2017 study found that adding capsaicin to just 1 meal could help you burn an extra 116 calories a day — without doing anything else different.
Other clinical trials show capsaicin can help boost your metabolism, speed up weight loss, and even burn body fat.2,3,4
But hot peppers don’t even have to be a daily part of your diet to make a difference.
In a stunning study conducted over 18 years, adults who ate just 1 chili pepper a month had a 13% lower mortality rate — meaning capsaicin could actually help you live longer.5
That’s a lot of power in one little pepper!
Now I know not everyone likes spicy foods — but the good news is, there’s a whole RANGE of chili peppers out there.
Which means if you’re interested in seeing the benefits of adding capsaicin to YOUR diet, you can choose a pepper that suits your taste.
Here’s a breakdown of some peppers commonly found in grocery stores:
On the mild side
Shishito
Poblano
Serving suggestion: Roasted whole in the oven
Moderately spicy
Jalapeno
Serrano
Chipotle
Serving suggestion: Diced over tacos or added to fresh salsa
Only for the brave
Thai chilis
Habanero
Serving suggestion: Chopped for curry or soup (but wear gloves!)
And if you want to cut down on the heat a little, remove the pepper’s seeds and “ribs” — that’s where most of that spicy capsaicin is concentrated.
Another great option is to use some powdered cayenne pepper — because you have total control over how much “heat” you add to any dish.
You can also serve peppers along with foods that help neutralize their spicy flavor — like avocado, coconut milk, and white rice.
That way, you can enjoy the health benefits of capsaicin, without all the “burn.”
But no matter how you choose to add a little spice to your diet, rest assured…
You’re doing something easy, tasty, and GREAT for your health!
SOURCES:
1 Y, D. (2017). Capsaicinoids Enhance Metabolic Rate in Normal Healthy Individuals using a Novel Metabolic Tracker Breezing Device-An Open Label Placebo Controlled Acute Study. In Obesity: Open Access (Vol. 3, Issue 2). Sci Forschen, Inc. https://doi.org/10.16966/2380-5528.129
2 McCarty, M. F., DiNicolantonio, J. J., & O’Keefe, J. H. (2015). Capsaicin may have important potential for promoting vascular and metabolic health. Open heart, 2(1), e000262. https://doi.org/10.1136/openhrt-2015-000262
3 Zheng, J., Zheng, S., Feng, Q., Zhang, Q., & Xiao, X. (2017). Dietary capsaicin and its anti-obesity potency: from mechanism to clinical implications. Bioscience reports, 37(3), BSR20170286. https://doi.org/10.1042/BSR20170286
4 Rogers, J., Urbina, S. L., Taylor, L. W., Wilborn, C. D., Purpura, M., Jäger, R., & Juturu, V. (2018). Capsaicinoids supplementation decreases percent body fat and fat mass: adjustment using covariates in a post hoc analysis. BMC obesity, 5, 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40608-018-0197-1
5 Chopan, M., & Littenberg, B. (2017). The Association of Hot Red Chili Pepper Consumption and Mortality: A Large Population-Based Cohort Study. PloS one, 12(1), e0169876. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169876