All About YOU: Rise with Red Pepper

Here's a little known secret for curbing your appetite: red pepper.

Red pepper, when eaten early in the day, decreases food intake later in the day. Try adding a little to your egg-white omelet in the morning. Here's how it helps control hunger.

Capsaicin Catalyst
The capsaicin in red pepper may get the credit for decreasing appetite. The heat-giving ingredient appears to stop sensory information in the intestine from reaching the brain. It basically kills -- or stuns -- the message that you're hungry. Capsaicin may also give your metabolism a boost.

For a breakfast that will really fire you up, add cayenne, hot red peppers, or jalapeno peppers to a frittata. These hotties all contain capsaicin.

What other foods might help you eat less and still feel satisfied? Read this article.

YOU: On a Diet. Roizen, M. F., Oz, M. C., New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006.