A recent review published in Appetite challenges the traditional belief that water can fill your stomach during meals. Conversely, a separate study in Food Quality and Taste reveals that spicy salsas, often shunned by those on diets, may actually lead to reduced food intake.
A new study suggests that common dietary advice may be misleading. Research indicates that while water is traditionally viewed as a weight management tool, it might actually lead to increased food intake when combined with meals, while spicy foods can help mitigate consumption. Image provided by: Yukuaikuai.
Conventional dietary advice recommends increasing water intake to control weight and energy consumption.
This guidance is prevalent, with a 2019 study revealing that 42% of over 48,000 participants trying to lose weight cited increased water consumption as their third most popular strategy, following reduced food intake and increased physical activity.
This notion seems logical; drinking water before or during meals is believed to create a feeling of fullness by causing stomach bloating, thereby reducing overall food intake.
“The idea that drinking water keeps you feeling full is widely accepted,” states Professor Paige Cunningham of Cornell University.
“However, water exits the stomach quickly, which may mean you don’t feel full for long.”
“Rather, water might encourage increased consumption by acting as a lubricant, hastening eating speed, and promoting longer enjoyment of meals by preventing dry mouth.”
The authors analyzed existing data from two crossover experiments where adults consumed 650 g meals of beef chili or chicken tikka masala, accompanied by 450 g of water, under observation in a lab setting.
In these experiments, the spiciness of the meals was manipulated by varying the ratios of spicy to sweet paprika.
Videotape analysis was conducted to track the number of sips taken, bite sizes, alcohol consumption, and transitions between food and water sips.
For each additional 100 grams of water consumed, participants increased food intake by approximately 39 grams and added about 49 calories to their meals.
Those who frequently alternated between bites of food and sips of water consumed even more; each additional transition raised food intake by roughly 4.4 grams.
A related study involved 49 adults who were served tortilla chips with either mild or spicy salsa weekly for two weeks, varying only the cayenne component of the salsa.
Findings indicated that the spicier salsa reduced total snack intake by 28%, despite using the same chips. Additionally, participants consumed spicy snacks about 30% more slowly than milder options, contributing to lower overall intake. The spiciness didn’t affect water consumption during snacking, excluding it as a factor for reduced intake.
“Both studies demonstrate how eating behaviors and food characteristics significantly influence consumption levels, often without our awareness,” noted Professor Cunningham.
“We discovered that increased water consumption may raise food intake, while adding spice to snacks slows eating speed and encourages less consumption.”
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Paige M. Cunningham and John E. Hayes. 2026. Fluid intake, sip-to-sip switching, and drinking behavior are associated with food intake during meals of varying spiciness: a secondary analysis of two randomized crossover studies. Appetite 226: 108698; doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2026.108698
Paige M. Cunningham et al. 2026. Increasing the spiciness of snacks slows eating speed and reduces food and energy intake. Food Quality and Taste 143: 105951; doi: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2026.105951
Source: www.sci.news
