What is Capsicum?
Name: Capsicum annum
Common Name: Capsicum
Function: Burns fat with the help of capsinoids and is responsible for weight loss.
Supplement uses: Ingredients in dietary supplements like fat burners, etc.
Similar fat-burning ingredients: Cayenne pepper, guarana, piperine (black pepper), etc.
Capsicum annuum is the name given to all pepper varieties, except for black pepper. All Capsicum peppers have capsaicin in varying amounts. Capsaicin is the compound that makes our eyes water and our tongues to sizzle due to its spiciness! It will help you lose weight and burn fat! Here are some more amazing facts about this spice:
- A Canadian study showed that adding red pepper to a meal led to increased lipid oxidation (fat burning for energy) and thermogenesis (heat production).
- Pepper increases metabolism, resulting in your body burning fat faster. In a study, the metabolism rate increased by 8% and stayed at this level for hours after pepper consumption.
- Capsaicin inhibits fat cells from growing by activating AMPKs. These proteins spend your body’s energy wisely, so that you eat less!
How does it work?
Capsicum works its magic in two main ways:
- Activating the adrenergic nervous system. When you consume food that contains capsaicin, the spice receptors in your mouth and gut are activated. Their activation results in adrenaline secretion. One of the ways Adrenaline readies your body for the fight-or-flight response is by causing appetite suppression. If you crave food less frequently, then you will eat less!
- Consuming capsaicin also leads to an increase in metabolic rate. With the metabolism this fast, your body starts to burn more than carbs as energy sources. The result? Fat burning on a large scale!
Benefits of Capsicum when trying to lose weight
- Adding as much as 6-10g red pepper to a meal can suppress your appetite. Imagine what might happen if you made capsicum a regular addition to your food!
- Research shows that as little as 3g of red chilli sauce when added to food made the metabolic rate shoot right up to 25%!
- Sweet pepper consumption for two weeks can cause our body to lose weight and lead to fat loss.
- Capsicum also makes exercise routines more effective. Consuming capsicum extract an hour before exercising will make the workout even more effective. Try to focus on exercises that increase lean muscle and burn more fat — the fat burning continues even after you stop exercising!
Dosage
It is safe to take 200 mg of chilli every day. However, overdoing it can lead to indigestion.
Other Benefits
- Capsicum reduces the concentration of blood markers of metabolic diseases. These diseases include cardiovascular disease and diabetes. By reducing these compounds, capsicum can also reduce your risk of such diseases. Capsicum is involved in decreasing the following compounds in your blood: Insulin, Sugar, Fat, Leptin.
- Gastric juice production is increased by capsicum consumption, which prevents indigestion.
- Capsicum regulates blood pressure!
- Capsicum is rich in vitamins, such as A and C. The heat from capsicums unclogs and drains nasal passages, which makes it a good cure for cold or flu.
- Capsaicin blocks pain transmission from the skin to the spinal cord, thus lessening it.
Clinical studies
A study (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) on capsinoids was done on forty men and women. They were given either a 6mg capsinoid or a placebo. The results showed decrease in abdominal fat and body weight. The capsinoid group had higher fat oxidation.
Side effects
Capsicum has been a part of cuisines all over the world for centuries! That is why using this spice is mostly safe. People who suffer from bleeding disorders or have to take blood thinners may need to be careful when consuming it. Speak to your doctor before you add capsicum to your diet. People who have ulcers, acid reflux or gastrointestinal disorders should also take care when consuming chilli.
Conclusion
Capsicum has so many benefits from boosting hair growth, prevention of hair loss, skin rashes, pimples, eye diseases to cancer protection. These benefits also include its ability to burn fat by increasing metabolic rate and causing weight loss. Since this is a completely natural and pure product, capsicum is completely safe to use and is easily available. To reap its multiple benefits, all you have to do is stir in some chilli powder into your sauces every day. Then sit back and watch as the spice ups the heat even when you are at rest!
Sohail has been searching diets and belly fat solutions for over a decade, and manage a pool of trained authors to write articles, which have helped thousands of readers to this date. He has CPD accredited Certificate in Nutrition for Weight Loss besides his MBA degree. He also owns this website, which he founded in 2013 to share his ideas and knowledge. Not to mention he has tried numerous supplements over the years and has an extensive and thorough knowledge on supplements. Besides spending time on his study, research and literature, Sohail loves swimming, gardening and travelling.
