I'm sure you didn't know, but eating a huge bowl of chili can help you lose weight. Yes, you read that correctly. The capsicum present in chilies and peppers used to season your chili will increase your body's metabolic rate, causing it to produce more heat. This is something that even delicious red peppers can do. Body builders also use green peppers because they contain more vitamin C than red ones. Chili contains several compounds that have been shown to increase the amount of energy burned by the body when eating it. These include capsaicin, which reduces fat storage in the body; dihydrocapsaicin, which increases the breakdown of fats; and nordihydrocapsaicin, which increases the release of fatty acids from cells into the bloodstream. The more capsaicin present in chili, the better it will be for burning calories. However, any type of pepper can provide these benefits because it's the capsaicin content that matters. Red peppers are just as good as jalapeños at increasing your metabolism, for example. Some studies have shown that people who eat spicy foods regularly have lower body weights and bodies mass indexes (BMIs). This could be because spices trigger the body to burn more fuel to break down food, or it may be due to increased physical activity. Either way, chili can be part of a healthy diet whether you want to lose weight or not.