Our metabolism is something we contend with throughout our whole lives. It helps us produce energy and lose weight and is an important part of our body. Yet as we age our metabolism may slow down. Yet new research says that a specific diet may be able to give our system a kick-start.

Metabolism is the amount of energy or calories needed by your body to maintain itself throughout the day. A person with a higher metabolism will be able to eat more calories than a person with a lower metabolism and not gain weight.

According to the National Institute of Health, the more pungent the spice, the better it is for energy, thus increasing your metabolism.

This study indicated that participants who consumed meals with red peppers, onions, mustard seeds, and cumin burned upwards of 1000 calories more per day than unseasoned food of the same amount and serving size. The spices somehow increased the metabolic rate of the participants.

Capsaicin is the ingredient that gives peppers the sensation of heat.

Research has found that it is this ingredient that stimulates the body to burn calories producing energy. In the body, white fat cells soak up calories and store them as fat. This is the unwanted fat found in our bellies and legs. Brown fat, found in small amounts on our shoulders and neck actually burns to heat our body and this is a good fat. Capsaicin from peppers causes white fat to burn as brown fat and prevents it from being stored as in obesity. Thus capsaicin prevents weight gain associated with eating a high-fat diet by transforming energy used to heat the body.

If you’re following a restricted calorie diet for weight loss adding hot spices may actually help to increase your metabolism since your body usually slows it down in response to lower caloric in-take. The added capsaicin from the hot peppers will facilitate weight loss.

Obviously counting on hot sauce and peppers to maximize your metabolism cannot be the only means to lose weight. Seniors should consult their physicians when making a significant change to diet or supplements. Cardiovascular training and exercise along with a calorie-restricted diet will contribute to a maximum metabolic rate.