Although they’re not everyone’s favorite, chili peppers have been praised as kings of spicy foods for a very long time. These red devils are known both for giving a meal some real flavor and for being natural painkillers.
However, a recent study out of the University of Adelaide has shown that red chili peppers might have an even greater benefit than we’ve previously thought – preventing obesity.
Prevention Is Key
The research published in the journal PLOS ONE found that a diet that includes chili peppers is able to trigger certain receptors located in the stomach.
These are called TRPV1 receptors and are responsible for causing the feeling of fullness, which is a great method of stopping obesity in its tracks.
Associate Professor Amanda Page, who leads the study, said: “The stomach stretches when it is full, which activates nerves in the stomach to tell the body that it has had enough food. We found that this activation is regulated through hot chili pepper or TRPV1 receptors.”
She added: “It is known from previous studies that capsaicin, found in hot chilies, reduces food intake in humans. And what we’ve discovered is that deletion of TRPV1 receptors dampens the response of gastric nerves to stretch – resulting in a delayed feeling of fullness and the consumption of more food.”
Bottom line – if you want to avoid becoming overweight, you should consume foods which will make you full faster and the best foods for that are red chili peppers.
