Eat Chili During Pregnancy, Say Scientists—Here's Why

Eating chili during pregnancy may lower the risk of gestational diabetes, a new study says. Researchers at the University of Buffalo (UB) found that pregnant women who ate chili at least once a month had a significantly lower risk of developing gestational diabetes compared to those who did not. Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy and can pose health risks for both mother and baby.

If left untreated, it increases the chances of complications during birth and raises the mother's likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. The findings of the study add to growing evidence that diet plays a crucial role in preventing pregnancy-related health complications. Xiaozhong Wen, the study's lead author and associate professor of pediatrics at UB, told Newsweek that the research focused on how eating different types of beans, like chili, dried beans, and bean soup, affects gestational diabetes. "Interestingly, only chili consumption was statistically significantly associated with the risk of gestational diabetes," he said. While researchers caution that more studies are needed, their findings spotlight chili as a potential dietary tool for improving maternal health. Gestational diabetes is on the rise in the U.S. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diabetes affected 8.3 percent of pregnancies in 2021, up from 6 percent in 2016. In the UB study, researchers analyzed data from 1,397 pregnant women who participated in a national health survey. They found that those who ate chili at least once a month had a 3.5 percent risk of developing gestational diabetes—less than half the 7.4 percent risk for women who never ate chili. Wen explained that the team initially set out to study the effects of bean consumption on gestational diabetes risk. "Interestingly, only chili consumption was statistically significantly associated with the risk of gestational diabetes," he said. Researchers believe chili's potential benefits may come from a combination of ingredients, particularly capsaicin—the compound that gives chili peppers their heat—and phenolic compounds found in beans, especially dark varieties commonly used in chili. That said, the reason Wen was unsure which compounds in chili explain the results is twofold: "One, this is observational research with unknown causality, and two, there are substantial variations in chili ingredients and preparation methods," he said. However, studies suggest that fiber, resistant starch, phytochemicals and capsaicin might be contributing factors, Wen added. Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about gestational diabetes? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.

Reference

Wen, X., Makama, F., Buzby, R., Nguyen, J., Durnell, R., Ekhator, I., Chan, D., & Rideout, T. C. (2025). Moderate Chili Consumption During Pregnancy Is Associated with a Low Risk of Gestational Diabetes (GDM). Nutrients, 17(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17061025