If you’ve ever had to put down that burrito because your mouth is on fire, or pushed away a bowl of salsa because your eyes couldn’t stop watering, we understand (our spice tolerances are not what they used to be), but that spiciness might actually offer a useful tool for maintaining a healthy weight.
In a new study out of Penn State, researchers began with the proven notion that eating slower can help individuals eat less—and thus help maintain a healthy weight. But how do you get people to eat slower? In this experiment, the researchers decided to increase what they called “oral burn” by amping up the spiciness level of food to see whether that would reduce the speed of eating and overall consumption levels. The concept of “oral burn” does not sound terribly appetizing to us, but for the researchers, it meant ratcheting up spice levels with chili peppers just a little so as not to negatively affect the palatability of the dish.
The results? Participants who were given the spicier food slowed down their eating speeds and ate less overall – all without changing the reported level of food satisfaction.
Portion control in the United States is something we’ve been grappling with for years, as in many cases the urge to consume the entirety of a large plate contributes to the ongoing obesity epidemic. But adding just a few chilies to a meal, researchers are discovering, may help reduce the risk of energy overconsumption, slow you down, and help you eat less.
And if spice isn’t your thing, there are other ways to urge our bodies (and mouths) to slow down. Other studies that slow eating rate by manipulating texture have shown similar effects.
So give it a try: next time you’re cooking up a delicious dinner for your family or friends, try sprinkling in a little bit of paprika, chili pepper, or another spice to see how your body reacts. It might surprise you.
Go Deeper: