Do you love or hate spicy foods? If you love, that’s good for you. If you don’t, you must reconsider your choice, particularly if you want to lose weight. But why? Is chili healthy for weight loss?
Yes, chili is healthy for weight loss. Spicy foods offer plenty of benefits that promote good health. This is especially true if you want to lose those extra pounds.
There is powerful evidence that spicy food containing chilies has an effect in activating brown fat. Eating chilies allows your body to dissipate heat to burn extra calories.
Apart from this evidence, there are many other reasons to include chili in weight loss diets. If chili is still not a regular addition to your diet, pay special attention to this article.
The article is going to reveal the reasons to include chili in your weight loss diet.
Chilies have a lot of health benefits. The capsaicin present in chilies is very helpful in weight loss. Here are the reasons that will explain the science behind losing weight with chili.
Table of Content
Is Chili Healthy for Weight Loss?
In a research study by Bioscience in 2017, researchers studied the effect of a chemical Capsaicin, present in chilies.
They found that this compound is miraculously effective in minimizing fat accumulation. It helps in lowering your body weight.
In an earlier study by researchers, almost 100 participants ate green chili as a placebo. The others ate 135 milligrams of capsaicin daily.
At the end of the study, those who took capsaicin burned more calories than the rest of the placebo group.
Hence, it is evident that the capsaicin present in chilies helps you lose weight.
Why Is Chili Good for Weight Loss?
Chilies have a lot of health benefits. The capsaicin present in chiles is very helpful in weight loss. Here are the reasons that will explain the science behind losing weight with chili.
Thermogenesis
Once you bite into a pepper, chemical capsaicin is released. This chemical causes a burning sensation in your mouth.
Capsaicin releases adrenaline into your bloodstream. It causes the breakdown of fat. This is because chili peppers are thermogenic.
The food that burns calories by dissipating heat from the body is called thermogenic. Chilies have the same property. This helps in weight loss.
Increase Metabolism
The thermogenic effect continues after you consume pepper, increasing your metabolism up to 10 to 20 percent.
This process continues for 35 to 40 minutes. An increase in metabolism means the food you take converts into energy.
When this process becomes faster, you can lose weight easily. The combination of both exercise and adding chili peppers to your diet can be an effective way to lose weight.
Reduce Appetite and Hunger Pangs
When you eat food containing chilies, it makes you feel full for longer. It also reduces your appetite and hunger pangs.
According to research, adding spices to your food doesn’t just improve flavor, it also has health benefits. A couple of studies have shown that eating chilies can help you live longer.
Eating chilies makes your stomach full. So you don’t eat anything wrong that can cause weight gain. Adding chili into your diet reduces the proportion of food you eat, that’s why you consume fewer calories.
Chilies also reduce the cravings for sweets and sugar. So you do not eat high-calorie foods. As a result, you lose weight.
Adrenaline Rush
There is evidence that when you eat something spicy, you get an adrenaline rush. It activates the mechanism that allows your body to burn more calories in the form of heat.
According to another research, eating spicy foods produce endorphins in your body. These are the happy hormones that not only increase the weight loss process but also help fight depression.
Is Chili Healthy? What Are Its Health Benefits?
Yes, chilies are not healthy but tasty too. Just because we need to eat doesn’t mean food has to be boring. A few chili flakes on your pizza can make it pop.
According to research, adding spices to your food doesn’t just improve flavor, it also has health benefits. A couple of studies have shown that eating chilies can help you live longer.
Here are the interesting health benefits of eating foods containing chilies.
- It lowers your blood pressure. The heat from peppers helps improve blood circulation and lowers the risk of hypertension.
- Chilies contain vitamin C and Vitamin A. These essential vitamins help to boost your immunity. It increases your ability to fight diseases.
- Chili is good for your heart. Chili peppers lower bad cholesterol levels in your body. Consequently, it minimizes your risk for coronary heart disease.
- Capsaicin in chilies makes you feel good. It helps you manage pain. It boosts serotonin levels in your body. Serotonin is a hormone that controls your mood.
- Eating chilies minimizes the risk of cancer. Capsaicin in chilies reduces the growth of cancer cells as well as tumors.
- Eating chilies help with diabetes by improving the balance of blood sugar and insulin levels in your body.
These reasons ultimately help you in losing weight. Because if you will have a healthy body you will easily be able to achieve your weight loss goal.
Is Chicken Chili Good for Weight Loss?
Yes, chicken chili is good for weight loss. Both chilies and chicken help in stimulating the weight loss process. Chicken is an important component of almost all weight-loss diets.
The reason is that chicken contains a lot of proteins. Protein is good for weight loss. It enhances your muscle mass and keeps your stomach full.
Especially, if you are on a high protein diet, chicken chili can do wonders. It can be a healthy and tasty addition to your weight loss meal plan.
Lean chicken contains a very low amount of carbohydrates. So it does not cause weight gain. Chili chicken will increase your satiety. It can also reduce your hunger pangs.
Adding chicken chili to your diet can easily fulfill your protein requirements. It can help you build muscles and lose fat.
Is Chili Sauce Good for Weight Loss?
Most of the chili sauces in the market contain a high amount of sugar, sodium, and preservatives. The artificial ingredients in these sauces are not good for health.
Heat intensity varies from pepper to pepper. The chilies that are more hot and spicy helps more in losing weight. The reason is that hot chilies contain a good quantity of capsaicin.
The high amount of sodium in these chili sauces can cause bloating. They contain a lot of sugar that can cause weight gain.
So, it is better to make chili sauces at home. So, Is homemade chili good for weight loss? Yes, it is! The reason is that you can make it healthy by adding the ingredients of your choice.
Preparing a sauce with less salt and sugar makes it even healthier. This homemade chili sauce is healthy for weight loss.
How to Choose Chilies for Weight Loss?
Do many people ask which chili peppers are good for weight loss? When it comes to choosing chili pepper for weight loss, select the fresh ones with vivid deep colors and glossy firm skin.
Heat intensity varies from pepper to pepper. The chilies that are more hot and spicy helps more in losing weight. The reason is that hot chilies contain a good quantity of capsaicin.
How to Eat Chilies for Weight Loss?
Have you tried to include chilies in your diet? Do you know how you can eat chili in different interesting ways? Here are some tips to add chilies to your weight loss meal plan.
- Chop the chili peppers and add them to salads with a few drops of olive oil.
- Add chili powder to the curries you cook daily.
- You can also add chili pickles to your diet.
- You can eat chili and lemon by adding them to a sandwich or burger.
- You can sprinkle chili flakes on your pizza.
These are some ways to enjoy the weight loss benefits as well as the spicy taste of Chilies.
When Should You Avoid Eating Chili?
Chilies have several health benefits. But there are certain conditions in which you should avoid eating chilies. Do the precautions in case of the following:
- Do not eat chilies if you are suffering from diarrhea.
- It is not wise to eat chilies if you are suffering from heartburn or acid reflux.
- Pregnant ladies should avoid eating chilies in high amounts.
- Individuals having problems with high blood pressure should not add chilies to their diet.
- Those who are going to have a surgical procedure should avoid eating chili.
There is no doubt that chilies help with weight loss. But if you are having any of the above problems, consult your doctor before going for a chili diet.
FAQs
Why is chili good for weight loss?
Chilies are good for weight loss because they contain the compound capsaicin. These compounds aid in the weight loss process by thermogenesis. It also increases metabolism and helps you to lose weight.
Is chili bad for weight loss?
No, chili is not bad for weight loss. It speeds up the process of weight loss. But if you’re suffering from heartburn, stomach problem, or hypertension, you must consult your doctor before adding chili into your diet.
Does eating chilies burn fat?
Yes, eating chilies burn after. This is because capsaicin present in Chili mobilizes the brown fat in your body. In this way, you can easily lose weight.
Is red chili good for weight loss?
Both red and green chilies help in weight loss. But green chilies are more helpful. There are many ways to eat green chilies. You can add them to your salad or enjoy them with chicken.
Bottom Line
There are a lot of studies that provide evidence related to the health benefits of chilies. But, Is chili healthy for weight loss? Yes, chili helps burn calories and stimulates body cells to lose fat. They also boost your immune system.
Remember that your meals don’t have to be unbearably spicy to get the weight loss benefits. So, even if you can’t tolerate spicy foods, just a little bit of capsaicin from chili can help a lot in weight loss.
