Lovers of spicy food can find another reason to enjoy their “tongue-burning” favorites. It turns out that in addition to warming up our mouths, spicy foods may in fact cause our bodies to heat up and thereby burn more calories. The reason for this is because hot peppers contain the compound capsaicin, which is believed to be secreted by plants to protect them from insects and other pests. For those of us who prefer not to torture our taste buds with spiciness, there is in fact a non-burning version of capsaicin known as dihydrocapsiate (DCT) that might have the same benefits.

To test the fat burning potential of DCT, researchers studied men and women who were consuming a diet designed to help them lose weight. The subjects were given a low-calorie liquid meal product over the course of 4 weeks (28 days). They were divided into two groups: one that was given DCT supplements, with other received a placebo. Baseline body weight and body fat measurements were taken at the beginning of the study, and body heat was monitored as an indicator of the amount of energy being produced after the consumption of a test meal.

What they found was that several hours after the meal was consumed, when DCT was included in the diet, the energy expenditure went up significantly. In the subjects given the highest dose of DCT, the heat production was almost twice the amount of the placebo group, suggesting that consumption of the non-burning compound derived from hot peppers might still have the same beneficial effect as its spicy counterpart. The research also revealed that DCT may actually increase the body’s use of fat as a fuel, potentially helping people to burn more fat and by extension, lose weight.

It is instructive to keep in mind that the findings only applied to the metabolic response from a single meal, and that the overall effect on body weight might differ over time and be influenced by other factors, including total daily caloric intake and lifestyle choices. Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that what adds heat to our palates might also add heat to our bodies, thereby burning more fat and calories.

In a related study, food scientists have observed that capsaicin prevented the development of fat cells in culture, suggesting another possible way in which spicy food might help to combat obesity. In the study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers exposed immature fat cells (adipocytes) to capsaicin and found that it prevented them from becoming mature fat cells by signaling the cells to undergo self-destruction, a process known as apoptosis, or programmed cell death. The levels of capsaicin used were deemed to be the equivalent of what would be found in a typical meal of Indian or Thai food.

While it is premature to encourage the public to go out and add more heat to their diets, it does seem to be good news for lovers of spicy foods, who can take added pleasure in eating their “peppery” dishes.

But keep a cold drink handy, just in case.