More Spice is Nice: Nando's Peri-Peri

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SINCE THE South Africa-based restaurant chain Nando's Peri-Peri opened its first U.S. location in the District last month (819 7th St. NW), Washingtonians have been flocking to the eatery for Afro-Portuguese flame-grilled chicken. Nando's boasts something of a cult following (fans include Oprah Winfrey, David Beckham and more than 35,000 Facebook users) for its tongue-tingling treats. But besides being trendy, it's also nutritionally hot.

t turns out that the Peri-Peri pepper that amps up Nando's chicken is loaded with antioxidants that help your body fight everything from aging to heart disease to cancer. Scientists also believe that a key compound in hot peppers — capsaicin — also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, potentially making it a natural pain-reliever for people with conditions such as arthritis. The more capsaicin a pepper contains, the hotter it tastes, so pile on that extra-hot sauce. "If you want to be super-healthy, just make sure your mouth is on fire," jokes Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered and licensed dietician in Chicago.

But don't believe every story about spice you hear. A common belief about foods that make you sweat is that they help your body burn extra calories, Blatner says. In reality, there's barely any truth to that.

"There is probably a slight increase in calories that you'll burn" after a spicy meal, Blatner says, but "it's only about 15."

And does it really help curb hunger? "Generally, any time you're eating something that has more flavor — with any herb or spice — it can make you feel more full because the food's not bland," Blatner says. Now that's hot.

Photo courtesy Merlin