Spicy Foods To Lose Weight

If you like spicy foods, and are looking to drop a few pounds, you're in luck. Spicy foods, popular the world over, have a fascinating history. Used correctly as part of a calorie-conscious, healthy diet, hot foods, particularly low-calorie hot sauces and salsas, can help you reach your weight-loss goals. A little information can help you make the best choice. Consult your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet.

History and Types of Chilies

Chili peppers, used to create a variety of fiery foods, are native to the Western hemisphere, where they have been consumed by native peoples since prehistoric times, according to the Epicurious website's Food Dictionary. The Dictionary reports that more than 200 kinds of chili peppers are grown worldwide, with more than half of those tracing their roots to ancient Mexico. Chili heat is measured in Scoville units, and the world's hottest chili, the ghost chili, clocks in at 1 million Scoville units, the ScienceDaily website reports. To put that in perspective, that's the same heat level as self-defense pepper spray.

Benefits of Hot Sauces

The most obvious benefit of spicy foods, particularly hot sauces and salsas, is that these foods provide a lot of flavor but not a lot of calories. For example, a baked potato topped with a tablespoon of butter and a tbsp. of sour cream has 327 calories, the FatSecret website calculates. Top that same baked potato with 2 tbsp. of salsa instead, and the calorie count drops to 202. You can also mix salsa with low-fat ranch dressing to make a tasty, Southwestern-style salad dressing or use it as a dip for healthy fresh vegetables.

Significance of Eating Speed

Spicy foods, because they cause a bit of pain when you eat them, simply don't allow you to shovel in your food; you have to wait for your mouth to cool down before you can take another bite. That helps you avoid overeating and thus lose weight, since your body takes about 20 minutes to recognize the sensation of fullness, Dr. James Hill, former president of the American Society for Nutrition, explains to "Readers Digest" magazine.

Effects of Hot Foods on Cravings

Spicy foods may help you head off cravings. Foods with spicy or sharp flavors seem to overwhelm the taste buds, relieving the emotional need for food and helping people feel that they have eaten enough, according to Selene Yeager's "The Doctors Book of Food Remedies." In fact, reports Yeager, individuals who consume spicy foods eat an average of 10 to 16 percent less food than those who do not.

Considerations and Warnings

Use caution if you're not used to spicy foods, because not everyone has the same tolerance. Start with foods marked "mild," and work your way up. Be aware that spicy foods are not miracle diet foods. To lose weight in a safe and sustainable matter, you must consume fewer calories than you burn, the Mayo Clinic explains. Finally, be aware that people with certain digestive disorders, such as peptic ulcers, should not consume spicy foods, as they can worsen symptoms, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, a service of the National Institutes of Health.