BENEFITS OF CAYENNE PEPPER FOR WEIGHT LOSS

SUPPRESSES APPETITE

One of the keys to success in any weight-loss program is reducing your intake of food, particularly foods with high-caloric values. In "The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet," author Nicholas Perricone, M.D., cites studies by a Japanese-Canadian research team that show capsaicin tends to lower caloric intake. One of the studies, published in 2004, indicates that it takes a hefty dose of the fiery spice to achieve its appetite-suppressant effects. However, in a bit of good news for those who aren't too fond of spicy foods, the research team found that the spice's ability to reduce appetite is equally effective whether ingested in food or taken in capsule form, according to Perricone.

STIMULATES THERMOGENESIS

Danish researchers looked at a weight-loss supplement that combined 450 mg of cayenne, containing 1.2 mg of capsaicin, with 1,500 mg of green-tea extract, 1,218 mg of L-tyrosine, 302 mg of caffeine and 3,890 mg of calcium carbonate. In findings published in the February 2007 issue of the International Journal of Obesity, they report the supplement significantly increased thermogenesis, or the rate at which the body burns off fat calories. In their evaluation of capsaicin's specific properties, they note that the spice not only increases fat oxidation, but also ramps up energy expenditure and stimulates activity by the sympathetic nervous system, both of which help the body to shed excess pounds.

INCREASES METABOLIC RATE

Botanist James A. Duke, Ph.D., author of "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook," identifies capsaicin as one of a handful of natural substances that can be helpful in losing weight. As evidence of its effectiveness, Duke cites a study that was conducted at Oxford Polytechnic Institute in England. Test subjects were fed a standard diet for a period of time, after which their metabolic rates were measured. Researchers then added a teaspoon of red pepper sauce, high in capsaicin, and a teaspoon of mustard to every meal ingested by the test subjects. At the conclusion of the study period, metabolic rates in the group receiving the capsaicin and mustard were as much as 25 percent higher. Duke points out that there is an additional benefit to using capsaicin administered in food during a weight-reduction program. The hot substance increases thirst, which, if quenched with water, helps to fill the stomach, thus reducing overall food intake.

Reference: 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/199765-benefits-of-cayenne-pepper-for-weight-loss/