They found that people who supplemented with the capsaicinoids capsule burned an extra 116 calories per day compared to people who popped the placebo.
That’s because capsaicinoids may have a thermogenic effect, the study authors write, meaning your body creates more heat as it digests the hot stuff, which results in more calories burned.
If you're looking for a bit of flavour, try Tabasco.
While the study received funding from the makers of Capsimax—the same capsaicinoids supplement used in the study—previous research backs up their findings. For example, one 2011 study from Purdue University also found that people burned more calories and had less of an appetite after eating red pepper.
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This article originally appeared on Men's Health