If you're looking for proof that it's the small things that can make a big difference, look no further.
A new Indian study has found that seasoning your food with black pepper could significantly transform your waistline.
![The research suggests that piperonal might have also helped regulate some of the genes associated with obesity. Photo / Getty Images](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/BVPXSIZG4EILJ4SZPKC5X3BWKM.jpg?auth=eb89e8b289b5767c53fd854a1dd926e8ebfaf9bcfee97d190a2e3f02ef4da42b&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
To come to this conclusion, researchers at the Sri Venkateswara University added piperonal, a compound found in pepper, to the high-fat diets of obese rats, reports news.com.au.
At the end of the 22-week study period, the rats who received the piperonal had increased lean body mass, bone mineral concentration (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) compared with the control group. Translation: rats that ate pepper had a lower body weight, lower blood sugar levels and lower body fat percentage.