You might have even enjoyed a dash of cayenne pepper on your food, if you’re into spicy fare. This bright red powder has been valued for millennia for its medicinal qualities as much for the tangy flavour it adds to dishes. Not only should this be an ingredient in your pantry, but this one tasty ingredient is also a health god which can help to promote circulation, plus it can increase metabolism!

So what are some of the cayenne pepper uses and how does it help the body? Read on to discover (and find out why people clearly are raving about these as well as other cayenne pepper water and water cures as well as supplements, such as capsules to take daily).

1. What is Cayenne Pepper?

Cayenne pepper is a chili pepper from the Capsicum plant genus. Given that spicy mixture is capsaicin, the active ingredient that gives cayenne its characteristic burn and, as it turns out, contributes to health benefits.

Cayenne is a popular home remedy that has been used for over 1000 years in both Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine to help treat digestive, circulatory and pain issues! Today, science is finally catching up to what healers have known for centuries: cayenne pepper doesn’t just spice up your food.

2. Cayenne Pepper Benefits for Metabolism

Metabolic Support One of the hottest uses for cayenne pepper? Here’s how it works:

• Thermogenic effect: Capsaicin slightly raises the body temperature, so the body burns more calories after a meal.
• Appetite control: Some studies show cayenne may curb hunger and encourage portion control.
• Fat burning: Cayenne helps the body use fat better as a source of energy by increasing energy expenditure so it burns more fat.

This, of course, would include cayenne in tiny amounts - as it’s a thermogenic heat producing compound. Some of them will even drink cayenne pepper and water in morning to awaken digestion and their energy to the day ahead.

Some exercisers and competitive athletes drink cayenne beforehand for its ability to supply energy and help burn fat. It’s not a miracle weight loss pill, but supplementing with the combination of a healthy diet and exercise may help you achieve better results.

3. Circulation and Heart Health

Another popular way of taking cayenne pepper is circulation. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat, is being applied to regrow flesh as well as arteries, veins and capillaries. To put it simply, increased blood flow equals more oxygen and nutrients being delivered to your internal organs and tissues.

Potential heart-related benefits include:

• Supporting healthy blood pressure levels.
• Helping prevent blood clot formation.
• Promoting artery flexibility.

Studies also indicate that cayenne pepper may help to maintain cholesterol levels already within the healthy range. For those looking for natural support for heart health, you may also want to try making changes to your diet plus another supplement being investigated to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels like Red Yeast Rice.

4. Digestive Health Support

You might think that a HOT pepper would be terrible for your stomach but cayenne pepper helps your digestion. Capsaicin can stimulate digestive enzymes, aid in nutrient absorption, and is quite effective when eaten daily with small amounts of cayenne. In fact, many will swear by a pinch or two of cayenne a day to help with bloating, and indigestion, and aid in digestion over time. 

Just remember, it can also stimulate your gastric juices which may aid in breaking down your food.  Some people claim to help fight bloat and indigestion as a result of taking small doses over time.

There are also a couple of wellness routines that pair it with Apple Cider Vinegar to be used in tonics to maintain gut health and facilitate digestion.

5. Immune System Benefits

The vitamin A and vitamin C are more than essential for our immune system and guess what cayenne has? The anti-inflammatory effects of capsaicin also decreases oxidative stress, a mechanism that relieves the body from stress.

Simply adding a little cayenne here and there in your food or popping a few cayenne pepper capsules, could be a simple and effective solution to increase your immune power, and improve your general well being.

6. Pain Relief Properties

You see, cayenne also has the external perks. Capsaicin creams are used for arthritis, neuropathy, or sore muscles.

Capsaicin works by reducing the amount of substance P, which is a chemical that carries pain messages to the brain. That’s why cayenne is more than just a food it’s actually a natural topical medicine.

7. Detoxification and Cleansing

Cayenne is very common in any detox diet. It helps boost circulation and adds warmth to your body. With improved circulation, toxins can also leave cells easier.

One of the things that people are doing now is drinking lemon, cayenne and apple cider vinegar water in the morning! They say it detoxes the digestive system, speeds up the metabolism, and helps to hydrate you. This tonic is not going to work for everybody but is a natural remedy that can wake you up fresh again in the morning.

8. Weight Management and Energy

Because of cayenne's calorie-burning and appetite-reducing effects, it is popular as a natural aid for weight loss. People who eat cayenne tend to report feeling more alive — and that vibrancy may cause you to be more likely to head to the gym — a critical part of weight loss that can last.

One mix of supplement will incorporate the use of cayenne with Berberine and Cinnamon for the supportive metabolic blood sugar and fat and their balance again with and for energy and fat thereby delivered.

9. Skin and Joint Health

Cayenne pepper could also have positive effects on the joints and skin. By soothing skin and increasing circulation, it allows for nutrients to travel to the skin cells so the renewal and repair process can begin.

Capsaicin cream has also been evaluated for relief of joint pain in patients with arthritis. It quiets pain signals so there is more mobility and comfort in everyday activities.

10. How Cayenne Pepper Can Help You Maintain Good Health

You also have a few choices for how to include cayenne into your day:

• Cooking: Add a sprinkle to soups, stews, eggs or roasted vegetables for flavor and health.
• Cayenne pepper water: The traditional tonic of mixing water with cayenne pepper, sometimes with lemon juice.
• Capsules: If the spice is too hot to handle, cayenne pepper capsules offer benefits without the burn.
• Creams: For muscle or joint aches and pains.

Increase the amount to your taste, but start small  cayenne can be very hot. You will develop a tolerance and can then slowly increase the dose.

11. Safety and Precautions

Cayenne is probably safe when taken in amounts typically found in food and possibly safe when taken in medicinal amounts for a brief period of time, but just to be clear:

• In large amounts it can lead to stomach upset or heartburn.
• No touching eyes or skin after touching fresh cayenne.
• Before they get started with the capsules, speak with your doctor if you’re currently on blood thinners, blood pressure medication, or if you have digestive conditions.

Final Thoughts

It is not just that cayenne pepper makes an excellent food topper, but it goes beyond this when it comes to its benefits. Not only is it useful for weight loss, for both treating and preventing ulcers, for treating pain, and improving circulation. Believe it or not, the spices that’s much more relevant to Western medicine than your chilli recipe is the answer to all of your problems, from metabolism enhancing and weight loss prompting to circulation and heart support, cayenne actually belongs in your kitchen… and your healthy lifestyle.

Whether you choose to drink it combined with water and cayenne pepper for a morning kick, add it to your foods, or take it in cayenne pepper capsules, this powerful spice can be a great ally for long term health.

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