Cayenne pepper is a go-to ingredient for those who love spice. But in addition to giving dishes heat, the versatile condiment comes with a surprising array of health benefits. I know what you’re thinking – yet another trendy superfood, right? On the contrary, the humble hot pepper has been a staple of traditional Native American medicine for thousands of years. Nutritionally speaking, cayenne pepper is rather special. Not only is it packed with valuable antioxidants but it’s a rich source of vitamin A, providing around 44% of your Recommended Daily Intake in a single tablespoon. It also contains a good amount of fibre.
Of course, the rock star ingredient – the component that gives cayenne its fiery heat – is capsaicin. Capsaicin’s medicinal credentials are illustrated by the fact that it’s frequently utilised in topical creams, patches and gels to control peripheral nerve pain. And that’s not all it’s good for.
Supports weight loss
A little-known benefit of cayenne pepper is weight loss. “How can that be?” you might wonder. Well, by increasing energy expenditure and speeding up your metabolism for a start. It also appears to promote fat oxidation without increasing blood pressure. Now, it would be a stretch to say that liberally adding cayenne pepper to your food will torch your stubborn fat stores. But combined with other fat-burning efforts, it’s sure to have an appreciable effect.
Helps with cleansing and detoxification
Everyone is looking to detox these days, and it’s understandable. Air pollution is a major problem, microplastics and heavy metals find their way into our tap water, and ultra-processed foods threaten to overload our natural buffer systems. Well, cayenne pepper can help, chiefly by opening capillaries and eliminating toxins and bacteria. One popular detox suggests drinking a warm glass of water containing freshly-squeezed lemon juice and cayenne pepper upon waking. Doing so will nurture the body’s detoxification pathways while also boosting your metabolism.
Relieves pain, including joint pain
A wealth of scientific evidence supports cayenne’s utility as a pain reliever. Capsaicin, cayenne’s active ingredient, effectively reduces a chemical known as substance P which is responsible for sending pain messages to the brain. Traditionally, cayenne pepper has been employed to treat acute and chronic back pain, rheumatisms, osteoarthritis, muscle spasms and painful nerve-related conditions. A rigorous 33-study review, meanwhile, indicated capsaicin’s ability to relieve cluster headaches.
Of course, these are not the only benefits: cayenne pepper has been credited with helping to clear congestion, combat inflammation, lower diabetes and cancer risk and soothe the gastrointestinal system. So, start experimenting in the kitchen by adding a little dried, ground cayenne pepper to your meals, and taking advantage of its healing properties.
Alternatively, why not try Thermoblaze? Cayenne pepper is one of the core ingredients in our thermogenic supplement, alongside green tea extract, guarana seed extract, caffeine anhydrous, citrus aurantium and L-Tyrosine. When incorporated into a healthy lifestyle, the all-natural formulation can help shift stubborn fat and improve body tone.
