Spice food lovers trying to keep a healthy weight should be please to hear that, among the many chili pepper benefits that have already been found in the past (such as anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties), now there's a newly discovered one: fighting obesity.
New research has discovered yet another of the many chili pepper benefits, in fact a way to treat the stomach: scientists from the Adelaide University in Australia have found that there's a chemical receptor find in hot peppers that can actually activate nerves in the stomach to make the brain think it's full.
According to ABC.net.au, the discovery of these new chili pepper benefits came as specialists from the university's Center for Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Diseases decided to dig deeper into previous research on capsaicin, a compound found in hot chilies that has been proven in the past to reduce food intake in those who consume it.
"What we've discovered is that deletion of TRPV1 receptors dampens the response of gastric nerves to stretch - resulting in a delayed feeling of fullness and the consumption of more food," lead researcher of the chili pepper benefits study Amanda Page told the press. "Therefore, part of the effect of capsaicin on food intake may be mediated via the stomach. We also found that TRPV1 receptors can be disrupted in high-fat-diet-induced obesity."
International Business Times reports that the team of chili pepper benefits is currently focusing on finding further information about the link between hot chili pepper receptors (officially called TRPV1) and the altogether feeling of satisfaction that comes from eating these spicy fruits - and further development of this could ultimately lead to new medication to regulate the feeling of fullness, and with it the need to overeat.
According to Science Daily, the chili pepper benefits study was published on the PLOS ONE under the name "TRPV1 Channels and Gastric Vagal Afferent Signalling in Lean and High Fat Diet Induced Obese Mice."
