The Role of Capsicum in Weight Loss

     When it comes to weight loss more and more people are getting attracted to the most natural methods of losing weight or at least prefer natural ingredients to lose their body weight fast. Nature has provided many ingredients to lose weight in the form of berries, fruits, nuts and so on. Capsicum is a vegetable; has many natural properties to help mankind lose weight fast and is no wonder to have gained wide popularity very recently.

Capsicum or Cayenne, commonly called as red chilly or red pepper, has been known to be cultivated since 3000 BC and used as a spice for its pungent taste. Capsicum belongs to a group of plants in the nightshade (Solenaceae) family. It is the same family of plants which includes tomato and potatoes. Cayenne pepper was introduced into Britain from India in 1548.

Capsicum contains capsaicinoids such as capsaicin, dihydro-capsaicin and nor-dihydro-capsaicin, which are responsible for its pungent nature. These active ingredients of capsicum are universally accepted as nutritional supplements for regulating diet and in the treatment of obesity, thus the safety of Capsicum is well established. Capsicum also contains Vitamin A and C. Capsicum is also known to contain provitamins of E, B1, B2 and B3. Capsicum contains antioxidants such as carotenes which eat away the free radicals of the body. The free radicals are known to cause cell damage and diseases such as cancer and increase the aging process.

Capsicum has been found to have weight suppressant effect as well as reducing the bad cholesterol in the blood which can lead to overweight and heart disease.

The study of capsaicin on humans and animals has been well documented. These studies clearly prove that capsaicin is capable of producing diet-induced thermogenesis which results in faster metabolism thereby increasing the energy expenditure of the body. Capsicum can also bring about a reduction in the appetite level. Recently documented studies also show significant reduction in body mass by fat oxidation in areas such as waist circumference, belly and so on. The critical factors that increase weight such as blood glucose, insulin, tricaylglycerol and leptin are also reduced by the capsaicins. These research results clearly point out the potential benefits of incorporating capsicum or its extract in the dietary formulations to curb excess appetite, prevent weight gain and thereby facilitate weight loss.

Apart from the weight loss effects Capsicum also regulates the heart and blood pressure rates. Capsicum blocks the transmission of pain and helps in relieving pain. It also alleviates constipation. Capsicum is also good for the eyes and skin.

The required quantity of Capsicum to produce enough weight loss effect in a person is about 10 grams per day. A certain company promoting slimming pills feels that this quantum of red chilly or its equivalent in capsaicinoids might irritate the mouth or stomach mucosa, so they have used a unique design to give a special coating on the ingredients. This coating of the capsules will prevent the contents getting in contact with the mouth as well as the stomach. The specific place where the ingredients have to be released is the intestines. As the acidity of the stomach is different from that of the intestines, the coating of the capsule will dissolve in the intestines only releasing the contents exactly in the place where it is digested and absorbed into the blood stream. This is where the modern technology gives a helping hand to nature in achieving its weight loss goal.

Capsicum along with extracts of black pepper, niacin (vitamin B3), and caffeine are presented in this slimming pill. If the claims of the promoters of this slimming pill are put in a nut shell then one would say: these pills can burn an extra 278 calories a day. If this slimming pill can burn an extra 278 calories a day will it suffice to produce enough weight loss effect to a person? Burning an extra 278 calories will certainly work out to about 25 pounds a year by just taking one pill a day.

Now let us take a look at how the claim has been accepted by the people who have the need for such a pill. This pill has attracted a lot of media attention for the fact that it is being used by the top celebrities. Unless the claims are true it would not be accepted by the celebrities as every one of us are aware that the celebrities have more need to be slim.

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