Researchers say add a little spice to your diet - there are more health benefits than you think

Spicy foods can benefit your health

Can spicy snacks help with portion control? Researchers put that theory to the test using chips and salsa.

FOX 2 - When you talk about chili peppers the heat comes mostly from the spongy white pith - the seeds pick up some spice from the white membrane, but the outer flesh has the least spice. 

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If you're into a little spicy kick it might help with portion control - although don't overdo it.

If you can tolerate or even enjoy some spice, it can do a lot for your body.

In the study, researchers asked a really simple question, which is how the heat level in a snack affects how much we eat, using chips and salsa.

Those at Pennsylvania State University set out to see if making snacks spicier, could help study participants eat less.

Researchers added little bit of cayenne and make the salsa mildly spicy, and added more cayenne and made them a bit spicier.

What they found, was when you increase the heat level, people eat about 30 percent slower, which leads to them eating 30 percent less.

When we eat spicy food, we experience sort of this burning sensation in our mouths, leaving more time between bites to try and, adjust to that spiciness and that oral burn.

That gap in recovery time, means maybe we're taking more time to drink more water between bites which slows us down.

Researchers say this strategy could be helpful in making sure people don't overeat while snacking.

Drinking the water, noticing the flavor. It's all helping us be more mindful when we snack.

Capsaicin, the compound that give pepper its heat has been shown to

• Boost metabolism by about 5 percent
• Reduce inflammation
• Clear sinuses
• Stimulate a healthy gut

So add in a little spice!