Does Hot Sauce Help You Lose Weight?
By Derrick Inglut
If hot sauce makes a meal more enjoyable, that can be reason enough to use it. The leap from “I like spicy food” to “this will make me lose weight” needs more evidence.
My original column was enthusiastic about capsaicin, the compound responsible for much of the heat in chili peppers. The practical conclusion needs to be more modest.
A possible effect is not a reliable result
Research has examined capsaicin and related compounds for effects on appetite and energy use. NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements says there is not enough evidence to know whether capsaicin helps people lose weight.
That is different from promising a fixed number of extra calories burned each time you add sauce. Product, dose, tolerance, and study conditions matter; a condiment on your dinner is not a controlled research treatment.
Give flavor a useful job
Try a sauce because it makes vegetables, beans, eggs, or another meal you enjoy more appealing. Compare the actual label if sodium, sugar, or another ingredient matters to you.
There is no need to choose the hottest version. If a food causes discomfort or worsens reflux, use a different seasoning. Enjoying the meal is the point of the experiment.
Do not turn a condiment into a supplement plan
Concentrated capsaicin supplements are a separate decision from adding chili to food. Discuss supplements with a clinician or pharmacist, especially if you take medication. A “metabolism” label is not a demonstration of a useful long-term effect.
I would not use spicy cocktails as a weight-management strategy either. Making a drink spicy does not remove its alcohol or calories. For more on that distinction, read Alcohol and Fitness Goals: Plan for the Whole Evening.
Keep the useful change
If seasoning makes a regular home meal more enjoyable, keep it. If the plan depends on a promised metabolic shortcut, reconsider the plan.
For the parts of a meal that deserve more attention, read fiber and satisfying meals and dietary fats. You do not need to take the pleasure out of eating to be skeptical of an exaggerated claim.
If you want help building a routine around meals you enjoy, explore my personal training and nutrition planning in Washington, DC. We can connect your food choices, workouts, and progress without depending on a single ingredient to do the work.
Adapted and updated from “Heat it Up and Slim Down,” originally published in The Southwester, October 2009, p. 5.
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Weight-loss supplements