New research suggests that eating hot chilli could prevent overeating.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide investigated the association between a chemical in hot chilli pepper and important receptors located in the stomach that signal fullness, The Metro reported.

"The stomach stretches when it is full, which activates nerves in the stomach to tell the body that it has had enough food. We found that this activation is regulated through hot chilli pepper or TRPV1 receptors," Amanda Page, lead author on the paper, said in a statement.

In their study, researchers also found that the deletion of TRPV1 receptors, important cells located in the stomach, dampens the response of gastric nerves to stretch, The Financial Express reported. This results in a delayed feeling of fullness and the consumption of more food. Therefore part of the effect of capsaicin on food intake may be mediated via the stomach.

"It's exciting that we now know more about the TRPV1 receptor pathway and that the consumption of capsaicin may be able to prevent overeating through an action on nerves in the stomach," Dr. Stephen Kentish, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Fellow from the University of Adelaide's School of Medicine, said in a statement.

Kentish said the next stage of research will involve investigation of the mechanisms behind TRPV1 receptor activation with the aim of developing a more palatable therapy.