Study Finds Adding Heat to Meals May Reduce Food Intake

Member Exclusive Content

Sign up to be a member to access this content.

Join now!

Already a member? Login

Hot sauce might be the slimming condiment.

Spicy food might make us perspire and flush, but it could also help some people eat more slowly and avoid overeating. This according to a 2025 study published in Food Quality and Preference, which found that moderately spicy meals can lead to slower eating and a reduction in food intake by 11% to 18% without affecting enjoyment. To examine how spiciness affects eating behavior, researchers from Pennsylvania State University served adult participants beef chili and chicken tikka masala seasoned with varying amounts of sweet and hot paprika. All that the investigators changed was the amount of hot paprika that was added to the test meals so that they were moderately spicy, and this relatively small adjustment was enough to significantly reduce energy (calorie) intake. Participants reported enjoying the hotter meals just as much as the milder ones. There is the potential that the lower energy intake attributed to adding more hot spice to meals could contribute to improved body composition, but the long-term impact on body weight is yet to be determined. In the meantime, however, if someone is wishing to trim their waistline then using chili powder, hot paprika, chipotle peppers in their cooking more often could help with this goal.