Study hints at new weight loss 'technique'

A team of researchers led by two Chinese scientists found that spices could lead to weight loss.

The study from US Arizona State University showed the first promising link between capsaicinoids, the active ingredient in chili peppers, and one's energy-burning ability.

In the research, forty volunteers were given a placebo containing two milligrams of a capsaicinoid supplement per day, and then the researchers measured both their metabolism and their heart rates.

In the study, the active ingredients of chili peppers, called capsaicinoids, were purified and formulated into a supplement. Each capsaicinoid supplement contains two milligrams of pure capsaicinoid. /Biodesign Institute

"The participants were offered the extraction supplement and a designed diet first, then their metabolic rate was tracked one, two, three hours after the meal. The other day test was exactly the same except they were offered placebo pill (control group)," said Yue Deng, a female researcher at the Biodesign Institute of ASU, who led the study with Fang Chen.

The people who took the supplements burned an average of 130 calories per day, while the people who took the placebos only burned an average of 8 calories per day, the study found.

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"The final results showed that by intake of the pill, participants' metabolism could be raised around 122 kcal/day compared to the control group," Deng said, but she also warned the supplements alone are not "magic bullets."

While it may sound like good news for spicy food lovers who are looking to shed some pounds, those supplements should be taken as part of a "holistic" weight management practice that includes a healthy diet and exercise.

(CGTN)