In the study, six healthy but overweight men ate a dinner of coconut chicken, white rice, cheese bread, and a dessert biscuit. Then, after at least a week, they dined on chicken curry, Italian herb bread, and a cinnamon biscuit. Blood tests before and after the meals found the spicier meal reduced insulin and triglyceride levels—but not glucose. Researchers believe that phenol compounds in the spices accounted for the metabolic benefits.

Sheila West, PhD, of Penn State University, and colleagues reported their findings online in the Journal of Nutrition.

Nutrition News: Spice It Up for Health The Saturday Evening Post