Spice up your summer and lose weight?

Summer's here and it's time to turn up the heat. When Taiwanese researchers discovered that Capsaicin (the chemical compound found in hot peppers) inhibited the growth of fat cells in mice, people seeking to lose weight took notice.

What the scientists found out was that Capsaicin seemed to regulate the genes that produced proteins in such a way that the fat cells would not fill up with fat.

Maybe Capsaicin could be used as a tool for human weight loss.

Capsaicin may provide a second benefit-- decreasing appetite. Japanese scientists found that a group of women who had spicy foods at breakfast ate less at lunch.

Herbalists suggest a tsp of cayenne in a half cup of milk in the morning. Be aware that spices may irritate the stomach.

 Try adding some spice to your diet and see for yourself. Make your summer sizzle!