If you've been purposely eating spicy food during dinner or throughout your day in hopes of losing weight, know that your efforts may pay off. Several studies have revealed that spicy dishes offer some health benefits, including promoting natural weight loss to some degree. Here's how spices help you shed a few pounds.

How Spicy Food Contributes to Weight Loss

1. It Burns Fat

Spices made from chili peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which is responsible for producing that familiar heat. Consuming pepper kicks off the thermogenic process, wherein the heat created burns the body's fat.

Eating capsaicin is comparable to performing a fat-burning exercise. The more your body temperature goes up from absorbing capsaicin, the more your body needs the energy to maintain the temperature. As a result, your body burns fat to keep up with the energy demand.

2. It Speeds Up Metabolism

One of the most popular beliefs about spicy food is it increases metabolism. While this is true, not everyone can fully enjoy this benefit. Capsaicin has a limited effect on obese or overweight individuals. Besides, people's bodies eventually develop tolerance to the heat, so the advantages you enjoy from eating spicy food may not last that long. Still, including a bit of spice in your dinner won't hurt.

3. It Decreases Your Appetite

You may not notice it, but eating spicy food helps curb your appetite. In particular, cayenne is believed to decrease your desire to eat more. Studies that investigated how a capsaicin-supplemented diet affected people's appetite discovered that this compound can induce feelings of fullness and satiety. Come dinner time, you may be pleasantly surprised you feel stuffed after only a few spoonfuls.

For sumptuous food with just the right amount of spice, visit Sufi Kitchen in Atlanta, GA. This top-rated Persian restaurant's menu offerings feature flavorful and healthy dishes and refreshing cocktails you can enjoy for lunch or dinner. Call them today at (404) 888-9699 for event catering and reservations, or visit their website to browse through their extensive menu.