YES: Spicy Food Really Does Help You Lose Weight!

Yesterday, I was talking with my good friend Jessica. She’s teaching English in Korea, and we were professing our shared love for a Korean food called kimchi. It’s basically a spicy pickled cabbage - and though it doesn’t sound great to most westerners, it’s delicious!

Jessica mentioned that some Koreans believe kimchi possesses special powers. We both laughed, but then she mentioned that those special powers include weight loss. I told Jessica that there’s probably some truth to this belief, as numerous studies have connected spiciness to weight loss.

According to the research, spicy foods do play a small but relatively significant role in losing weight. One study divided obese dieters into two groups. One group consumed spicy and flavored foods while the other group did not. The spicy dieters lost 30 pounds in 6 months, while the control group lost 2 pounds. Another study that was published in Physiology and Behavior looked at the effects of spices such as red chili pepper, capsaicin, black pepper, and ginger on metabolism and weight loss. Turns out, the spices boosted the metabolism of the dieters and increased the rate at which fat was burned.

Beyond the metabolism-boosting benefits of spicy foods, researchers speculate that adding spices to otherwise healthy but often bland foods (like veggies) may make those foods more appealing. It’s also speculated that dieters consume less of a spicy food, and that smaller portions are more satisfying for our taste buds.

The bottom line: Adding some cayenne pepper, Tabasco sauce, black pepper, chilies, hot peppers, etc. can be a great compliment to your diet or nutrition program. And if you haven’t tried kimchi, you gotta.

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Comments

  1. <3 kimchi

  2. christopher says:

    ive had kimchi with rice numerous times-for the western diet-consuming it-and how you react to it-maybe acting like a diuretic.kimchi is high in protein no doubt-and i beleive high in vitamin-c.it no doubt flush your system-if you know what i mean.

    • HappyHax0r says:

      For the record Christopher, a diuretic has nothing to do with flushing the digestive system. Diuretics specifically have the effect of flushing the renal system. For example, coffee (and all caffeinated substances) are diuretics, and cause increased urination (and thus increased fluid loss).

      I believe the term you’re looking for is laxative… and yes, some spicy foods can definitely have a laxative effect. 🙂

  3. Hi Davey
    I wanted to gain muscles and took protein supplement after my gym session. Basically I wanted to have a bigger chest.
    While I begin to see some results on the chest area, many started to comment that my face look fatter and rounder. I get fat easily on the face and believe that it has to do with the protein supplement I took.
    Any recommendation from you for my case? Can I get my chest bigger while my face get slimmer? As you know slimmer face will make a person look better.
    I have stopped my protein supplement one month ago and I could feel my chest is not getting any bigger. It is really a dilemma.
    Please advise thank you.

  4. I can eat a whole tub (150g or more) in one go if I am not careful, I love spicey foods.

  5. @Ricky sorry but u can’t bulk up and get cut at the same time… so I would suggest u get as big a you want then do cario to burn the fat and pushups to maintain your chest

  6. christopher says:

    yup-adding spice to veggies and main course for that matter will curb your huge appetite craving.spicy food will indeed retard your appetite-because its spicy-ness satisfies you earlier-hence-you might eat less.—-and yes kimchi/rice is that spice you maybe looking for-and high in vitamin-c.

  7. Some people forget to include these when calculating their caloric intake.
    Find the type of weight loss diet that best suits you.
    These may include home made energy bars, fruit and vegetables.

  8. Hey hey, The best fat loss that I have ever had was with Red hot slim (i found it on google) Without a doubt the most incredible diet that I have ever tried.

  9. Нежная кожа, блестящие волосы и великолепный макияж -
    вот правила проституток на нашем сайте.

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