Does eating spicy food help you burn fat?

[dutchgirl]

During lunch time, a co-worker of mine saw my lunch and told me that I could burn more calories if I added spices to it to heat it up (it was having a sandwich, applesauce, and a diet coke). She knows I'm into fitness and such and though I would appreciate the knowledge. Anyway, she says that spicy foods have a thermogenic effect and therefore help you burn more fat and calories than non-spicy food. She swears up and down that there have been numerous articles supporting this (although she couldn't remember any sources off hand). Is this just wishful thinking or an old wives tale or is there any truth to this?

I'm leaning toward 'this is bupcous' as I've seen plenty of people from cultures where spicy food is predominant that are on the more portly side.

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Carol_is_fit]

Sabine, here is what I found on Google when I typed in "spicy food and fat burning". This doctor's name (in the first two links) came up associated with this so-called research - although he has a PhD, not an MD - so I did a Google search on him, and found a few more links.

Going out on a limb here ... but it sounds questionable to me. I'm always leary of "research" done by individuals who don't appear to have much of a scientific background in the areas they're purporting to research, but hey ... it never hurts to check it out, you know?

Your friend may have read about this, but it most probably wasn't in a medical or nutrition journal. Rather, it was on Google or a similar search engine, where we all know by now you can find "proof" for anything if you look long and hard enough.

I guess the bottom line is, try it and see if it works for you. Good luck!

Carol



http://www.fitfaq.com/negative-calorie-fat-burning-foods.html

http://www.fitfaq.com/negative-calorie-foods-article.html

http://www.safegoodspub.com/misc/authors.asp

http://www.safegoodspub.com/Category.asp?Category=4

http://www.vitalhealthbooks.com/author/2384969969

 

[ColleenM]

Sounds like one of those "wive's tales" but then again for me it would help me lose weight since it kills my IBS and then I couldn't keep the food down...but definitely not something I'm gonna try

Colleen

 

[Carol_is_fit]

On the other hand ... I went to the authoritative medical sites we use most often at work, and all I found was a page on WebMD. Here is the link:

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/59/66883.htm#no1

We don't use WebMD because it's more focused toward the general public as opposed to the medical profession, but I thought I'd give it a try just in case. All the medical sites under which I searched came up blank for studies on spicy foods and fat burning.

Carol

 

[naughtoj]

I have heard that spicy foods raise the metabolic rate very temporarily. You could not lose extra weight though just by adding a couple sprinkles of cayenne pepper to your food. There is a slight metabolic effect, probably equivalent to an additional 5 calories burned per day. Oooh, now you are on your way to weight loss! NOT!

She must be on the "how in the world can I burn calories without actually moving" diet.

 

[kathryn]

I'm not sure about burning more fat, but I've read in several places that spices such as chili peppers and ginger have a thermogenic effect to increase your metabolism. I don't know by how much. Or how much you'd have to eat. And like your friend, I've seen numerous articles (but they could all be about the same research) but can't remember exactly where.

As for the MD vs. PhD in the research study: PhD's do more research than doctors do vs. medical treatment, so I'd be apt to believe the study (maybe it's a case of PhD's appreciating others with PhD's?)

 

[cab54]

I always found that that kind of thinking made me want to go out and eat TONS of Indian or Mexican food and that got me where I am today.....FAT. So, I doubt it---cals in/ cals out, and clean is the important thing, I think.

 

[wutherhi]

Ah, but in my perfect world, it WOULD be true. I'd be eating chile rellenos dripping with cheese and sour cream all day long -- but I'd use the hottest Anaheims I could find!