It's long been thought that chillies can help us lose weight.

很长时间以来大多数人都觉的辣椒能帮助减肥。

Now, new research has proved the fiery¹ food can aid weight loss by speeding up metabolism².

目前一项最新研究确实证实了这种说法：辛辣类食物确实能通过加快新陈代谢来帮助减肥。

A study found capsaicin – the ingredient that gives chilli peppers their heat - could help burn off fat in the body.

该研究发现，辣椒中所含的辣椒素能够帮助燃烧体内脂肪。

The temptation to eat fatty foods is often so strong that, for many, they can't resist eating fatty or sugary foods even if they are trying to cut down on calories.

脂肪含量高的食物通常都很有诱惑力，这让正在减肥的人非常苦恼，因为总会忍不住吃那些含糖量高或含脂肪量高的食物。

Now, researchers believe capsaicin could provide a solution to this problem; speeding up the metabolism without the need to restrict the diet.

现在，研究者们认为辣椒素可以解决这苦恼：让人在无需限制饮食的情况下加速体内新陈代谢过程。

University of Wyoming researchers found capsaicin may stimulate³ the body to burn energy and create heat (a process known as thermogenesis) – burning off calories in the process.

美国怀俄明州大学的研究人员发现，辣椒素能够刺激身体消耗能量并产生热量（这个过程叫做生热作用），以此来燃烧卡路里。

It does this by activating⁴ receptors in the body which set off the process of energy burning.

这个过程是通过激活体内的感受器来完成的。

These receptors are found in white and brown fat cells.

这些感受器在人体的白色脂肪和棕色脂肪中都存在。

In the body, white fat cells soak up calories and store them as fat – the dreaded⁵ type visible in pot bellies⁶, love handles and wobbly thighs⁷ that is the enemy of dieters.

人体中的白色脂肪负责吸收卡路里并将其储存为脂肪，这些脂肪在我们的小肚子上、手臂上、大腿上等等地方都能看到，它们堪称减肥者的天敌。

It is known as ‘bad’ fat for this reason.

所以，白色脂肪又被称为“坏”脂肪。

Brown fat, found in small amounts on the shoulders and neck, actually burns fat to heat the body – and is therefore known as ‘good’ fat.

而棕色脂肪，少量地存在于人的肩膀和颈部，功能是燃烧脂肪为身体提供热量，因此被称为“好”脂肪。

The researchers found that capsaicin in the diet was able to stimulate a receptor called potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel protein.

研究者们发现饮食中增加辣椒素的摄入能够刺激一种叫做TRPV1的感受器。

Activating this receptor suppresses obesity⁸ associated with a high-fat diet, the researchers found.

这种感受器的激活能够抑制因摄入过多脂肪而导致的肥胖。

They believe this is because it induces ‘bad’ white fat cells to become energy-burning ‘good’ brown fat cells.

研究者们认为，这是因为感受器的激活能够诱导“坏”脂肪变成能够燃烧热量的“好”脂肪。

The researchers carried out the study on one group of wild mice, and another group of mice who had been genetically⁹ engineered to lack the TRPV1 Receptor.

这项研究是在一组野生小白鼠和一组通过基因技术去除其体内的TRPV1感受器的小白鼠身上进行的。

They fed both mice a high fat diet, 0.01 per cent was made up of capsaicin.

研究者给两组小白鼠喂食脂肪含量较高的食物，其中辣椒素含量为0.01%。

Capsaicin prevented the weight gain associated with eating a high fat diet in the wild mice, but not the mice that lacked TRPV1.

结果显示，辣椒素抑制了野生小白鼠因摄入高脂肪量而增加的体重，但对缺少TRPV1感受器的小白鼠没有效果。

It did this without having any effect on how much food or water the mice consumed.

而且这种结果与两组小白鼠摄入的食物或水的量多少没有关系。

‘It did significantly increase the metabolic¹⁰ activity and energy expenditure¹¹ in wild type mice fed a high-fat diet, but not for mice that genetically lack TRPV1,’ researcher Vivek Krishnan, of University of Wyoming’s School of Pharmacy¹² said.

俄明州大学药学院的研究者维韦克·克里希纳说：“野生小白鼠的新陈代谢活动及能量消耗过程明显加快，但缺少TRPV1感受器的小白鼠却没有这种变化。”

This is because the fiery ingredient induces ‘bad’ white fat to become ‘good’, energy-burning brown fat and also stimulates¹³ the body to create heat, he added.

他表示，这就是因为辣椒素促使“坏”的白色脂肪变成了“好”的、能够燃烧能量的棕色脂肪，同时刺激身体产生热量。

These steps burn off calories and counteract¹⁴ obesity.

这些过程燃烧了卡路里、阻碍了体重的增加。

This may help to prevent and manage obesity and other related health complications such as Type 2 diabetes¹⁵, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases, the researchers said.

研究者称，这还可以有效预防和控制肥胖及由肥胖引发的诸如二型糖尿病、高血压、心血管等疾病。

However, they added this effect has not yet been demonstrated in carefully-controlled clinical trials.

但是，目前这项研究还没有在严格控制的临床试验中被证实。

Next, the researchers want to further understand the mechanism¹⁶ by which capsaicin prevents obesity, and carry out more trials to further prove that it can help manage weight.

下一步，研究者们会更加深入地研究辣椒素通过加速新陈代谢过程抑制肥胖的过程，并会进行更多的试验来证明辣椒素确实能够控制体重。