We have all used cayenne pepper while preparing food to add an extra spicy taste to our meals. However, an interesting fact is cayenne pepper is also known for its medicinal properties. It can reduce acidity, enhance body circulation, and has detoxifying effects on our body.
Many people add it in meals in its powdered form, but some people prefer consuming cayenne pills directly. In Indian households, it is regularly used in most food preparations.
The cayenne pepper is a native plant of Central America where it is being used in cuisine for thousands of years. It was introduced in other parts of the world mainly in 16th and 17th century. Now, countries such as India, China, Pakistan, USA, and Argentina commercially grow and use cayenne pepper.
There are uncountable benefits of cayenne pills such as its enhances digestion, helps in case of stomach ache, offers relief in diarrhea, decreases blood clotting, and lowers cholesterol. It additionally has the power to provide relief from a toothache, malaria, seasickness, and fever.
Let’s see some major health benefits of cayenne pepper:
1. Enhances digestion
Cayenne pills assist in the production of saliva which further enables improved digestion and eliminates bad breath. Cayenne pepper when consumed initiates the digestive process by stimulating salivary glands. It enhances enzyme production flow and promotes gastric juices, both of which lead to better functioning of digestive system and improved metabolism.
2. Aids in blood clots
Blockage in blood vessels and arteries is known as blood clots. Although blood clots are necessary for our body to prevent excessive bleeding in case of injured blood vessels, these can also form when not needed. In such a scenario, blood clots are not healthy and can lead to heart attack or stroke. Cayenne pepper promotes fibrinolysis which is a process of preventing the unnecessary formation of clots.
3. Mitigates Migraine Pain
Cayenne pills when consumed create a pain response in various parts of our body. This effect diverts our mind from migraine headache to the pain induced by cayenne pepper.
Cayenne pepper has a substance called capsaicin, which depletes substance P. This substance P is said to convey pain signals to our brain. When this substance is reduced, the pain too reduces.
4. Relief in joint pain
Cayenne pepper offers relief in joint pain in the same way as a migraine. When cayenne is used on the skin or consumed, it decreases substance P and this depletion, reduces pain in joints. Cayenne also reduces after-surgery pain and alleviates nerve damage, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and lower back pain.
5. Detoxifies body
Circulation in the body is enhanced by the consumption of cayenne pepper. It improves the functioning of the circulatory system, decreases acidity, regulates blood sugar levels, promotes metabolism, and flushes toxins and bacteria out of the body. Overall, cayenne pills have a detoxifying effect on our body.
6. Assists in weight loss
Cayenne pepper helps in weight loss in various ways.
First, if you consume cayenne pills or cayenne in food during breakfast, your appetite is reduced. Hence, this automatically enables less consumption of calories throughout a day.
Second, we already know that cayenne pepper boosts metabolism, which burns extra fat in the body.
Finally, cayenne reduces inflammation in our body along with bloating that is a result of allergies, infections, and food sensitivities.
7. Aids psoriasis
Psoriasis is a skin condition in which cells form quickly on the skin surface and results in red, scaly, and itchy patches. A study that contains two trials with 0.025% capsaicin cream indicated relief in severe and moderate psoriasis. It showed significant improvement in redness, scaling, erythema, and thickness.
8. Relief from cold and flu
If you have a cold, flu, or any allergy, then cayenne pepper can help reduce congestion. It breaks the congested mucus, and once this mucus is out of our body, allergies, cold, and flu settles.
9. Enhances longevity
A study says that people who consume spicy food regularly have 14% more chances of a longer life than those who have less consumption of spicy food. So, if you consume cayenne pepper daily, it can promote longevity with many other health benefits.
10. Anti-fungal properties
CAY-1 is found in cayenne pepper and this helps against fungal strains of 16 different types. This 16 types also include Candida spp. Candida is a very common reason for fungal infections, and it is rarely harmful to humans unless the immune system is not working properly. If the immune system is compromised, candida can cause disease. Cayenne assists against such infections and provides aid to the body.
11. Contains Vitamin A and E
Vitamin E assists our body in maintaining cholesterol, repairing damaged skin, fighting free radicals, balancing hormones, increasing energy, and improving vision. And Vitamin A promotes good vision, healthy neurological functioning, and healthy skin. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Cayenne pepper is a great source of both Vitamin E and Vitamin A.
Conclusion
If you can handle spicy food, then you should add cayenne pepper in your daily meals for life longevity, reduced acidity, relief in different body pains, and many other health benefits. However, if you cannot, then you can always consume cayenne pills, but we suggest consulting with your physician before doing so.
