You may wonder if you read that title correctly! Science has shown that capsaicin, the compound that gives chili powder its kick, is known to prod the body to start burning calories. A few years ago, the University of Maryland scientists said that raises metabolism by 25% for 3 hours. That is the calorie burning equivalent of a 40-minute walk.
Continuing on to the 4th food type of active calories, today's post is about warming foods. Warming foods include peppers, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, cloves, mustard, and vinegar. Capsaicin is the chemical giving peppers their burn. A UCLA study found that dieters taking in capsaicin doubled their energy expenditure for several hours after eating. Even mild peppers contain a compound that helps erase up to 100 calories a day by binding to nerve receptors and sending fat-burning signals to the brain.
Chili Peppers are good for the brain and for your mood! You probably never thought of them that way, did you? I know I didn't. I love hot foods, so I eat a lot of foods with peppers. I have always known they were good for helping me fight the inflammation my body has a problem with. But I had never thought of them as helping my mood until I started doing some research on foods and their relationships to the brain, dementia, and mood. (Yes, my late husband suffered from those illnesses; thus, my research.)
