The discovery could lead to more chillies and spicy food being included in dietary recommendations, scientists suggested after research on nearly half a million people.

Such guidelines have real consequences for food labelling, government dietary recommendations, taxation policies, and even for the nutritional content of school lunches.

The scale of people's lying and inaccuracy about what they eat undermines dietary recommendations based on shaky research, experts said.

Dietary recommendations for reactive hypoglycemia can help to relieve symptoms of postprandial syndrome.

Speakers called for a higher standard of evidence to be utilized when making dietary recommendations.