How a hot curry could actually help you LOSE weight
A compound in chilli helps the body burn fat and could help you shed pounds
A SPICY ingredient in your favourite curry could actually be the key to losing weight, experts have revealed.
The compound in chilli peppers, which gives them their kick, is being used to develop an anti-obesity drug - and researchers claim it actually works.
The ingredient "capsaican" is the reason a vindaloo curry leaves you gasping for water, but it could also be a key ingredient in the fight against obesity.
Researchers from the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy have tested the compound on mice, and found it does help with weight loss.
The molecule interacts with the peripheral part of our nervous system and is thought to have pain-reducing properties.
Using the drug metabocin, which releases capsaican slowly over 24 hours, researchers tested the impact of the spicy compound on mice fed a high-fat diet.
Measuring liver and kidney function, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, the study found mice lost body fat and improved overall health over a period of eight months with no side effects.
The capsaican molecule has also been tested as a drug to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and is even thought to potentially stop breast cancer cells from multiplying.
It's success in causing fat loss in mice could lead researchers to develop it into weight loss medication for humans.
But experts also warned the results don't mean people should start consuming large amounts of chilli.
Spicy chillies aren't easily absorbed in the stomach, meaning the capsaican they contain won't necessarily have the same affect as the drug.
The National Institutes of Health even warns that heavy consumption of the spicy compound could cause stomach ulcers or potentially increase the risk of some cancers.
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Dr. Thyagarajan, who led the research, told :"We observed marked improvements in blood sugar and cholesterol levels, insulin response, and symptoms of fatty liver disease.
"It proved safe and was well tolerated by the mice. Developing metabocin as a potent anti-obesity treatment shows promise as part of a robust strategy for helping people struggling with obesity.
"Our study provides compelling preclinical data that suggest that subchronic oral metabocin feeding is safe and does not cause any adverse effects in mice.
"These data are valuable for advancing the clinical uses of metabocin to counter obesity in humans."