This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.
If you’re hoping to kick off a full week of healthy, filling meals and less snacking throughout the day, might we suggest eggs topped with chili sauce or cayenne pepper as your go-to breakfast? The weight loss benefits of this seasoning are innumerable, leading health experts told us.
Chili Sauce Or Cayenne Pepper
“Chili sauce with active ingredient of capsaicin, which is known to be thermogenic,” Dr. Amy Lee, board certified doctor in internal medicine, medical nutrition and obesity medicine and partner of Nucific recommends.
How does it work? “Thermogenic foods help raise the body temperature just enough to expend more energy acquire from food.” In technical terms, Capsaicin is a “transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) agonist,” This plays a role in metabolic health, and can have effects on energy metabolism and balance, Dr. Lee explains. Other weight loss benefits, include lipid oxidation and inhibit fat accumulation, activating brown fat, suppressing appetite and increase satiety, and improving gut bacteria.
"If you're looking to help control your cravings throughout the day, start with a breakfast of lean protein from eggs and add some cayenne pepper," registered dietitian Trista Best of Balance One agrees.
"Studies and personal testimonies have shown that cayenne peppers can aid in weight loss by reducing hunger and improving metabolism," she explains.
Cayenne pepper reduces ghrelin production, the hunger hormone, which ultimately blunts hunger. "This capsaicin in cayenne pepper can also speed up metabolism through thermogenesis, the raising of the body's internal temperature."