What if there were a food that made you want to eat less? That would be a good thing, right? And what if that food, in addition to making you less hungry, caused your body to burn more calories? That would be even better, right? Right. Tara Parker-Pope reports in her Well column that cayenne peppers appear to do both things. Parker-Pope reports on research conducted at Purdue and published in the journal Physiology & Behavior that looked at the effect of just half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper on a group of 25 diners, who were divided into two groups: those who liked spicy food that those who didn't. The researchers found that for those who didn't routinely eat spicy food, adding red pepper to the soup was associated with eating an average of 60 fewer calories at the next meal compared with when they ate plain soup. For both groups who ate red pepper in food, the spice also appeared to increase the metabolism and cause the body to burn an extra 10 calories on its own.
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hard
Tuesday, June 3, 2025