Cornell study: drinking water may boost meal intake, spicy food reduces appetite

Two laboratory studies re‑examined how beverage consumption and food spiciness affect eating behavior. In the first study, 86 adults ate freely while their bites and sips were recorded. Researchers found that each additional 100 g of water consumed was associated with about 39 g (≈49 kcal) more food, and more frequent alternation between bites and sips added roughly 4.4 g of extra intake per switch.

A second study with 49 participants compared a mild versus a hotter sauce. The hotter version cut total snack consumption by 28 % and slowed eating speed by 30 %, suggesting that spicier food can help moderate calorie intake. The findings indicate that drinking water during meals does not reliably increase satiety and may lead to higher food consumption, while increased spiciness appears to reduce overall intake. Results are limited to the specific laboratory meals tested and should not be generalized without caution.