Last Updated on November 22, 2020 by Ed Joven
The Top 10 Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper or Finger Chili
Cayenne Peppers are available year around in the markets, you can buy them in fresh, dried or powdered form. In the store, look for raw, fresh chilies that have a brilliant red color and a healthy stem. Dry peppers are also available at the supermarket, especially health food stores.
Native Americans understood both the culinary and medicinal potency of this ingredient around 9,000 years ago. Cajun and Creole cooks, as well as those in Italy, Mexico and Asia, use it to make their dishes a little – or a lot – spicier, while Korean, Japanese and Chinese healers and Indian Ayurvedic traditions have relied on this ingredient for a number of cures.
Let’s take a look at some of the best Health Benefits Cayenne Pepper has to offer.
1] Helps your Heart and Lowers Blood Pressure:
Cayenne pepper works wonders for your heart too and it can help stop heart attacks. Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum) is said to be unequal for its ability to boost circulation and increase heart action. Capsicum exerts a variety of desirable actions on the entire cardiovascular system. It has the extraordinary ability to enhance cardiovascular performance while actually lowering blood pressure. Capsicum has an energizing effect on the entire system. It keeps blood pressure levels normalized, and helps the body lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
2] Helps Lower your Blood Sugar:
Ingesting Cayenne peppers has been found to lower the amount of insulin needed to lower your blood sugar after a meal. The capsaicin in cayenne may help to regulate your blood sugar level. Some evidence from both human and animal study suggests that the Capsaicin in Cayenne Pepper influences the way that your body processes the glucose in your blood. Further, the more often Cayenne pepper is included in your meals, the less insulin is required.
3] Helps In Weight Loss:
Cayenne pepper benefits includes its capability in helping loose weight. Studies have found that consuming cayenne pepper for breakfast creates less appetite, so people eat less calories during the day. Cayenne is also a great metabolic booster that helps increase the amount of heat your body produces, making you burn more calories per day.
4] It Clears Congestion from Colds or Allergies:
Suffering from stuffed up sinuses due to cold, flu, or allergies? It may come as no surprise that the heat from Cayenne Peppers can help loosen up phlegm and mucus in your lungs and nasal passages so you can get rid of it.
5] Capsaicin in Cayenne Pepper Relieves Joint and Muscle Pain:
Thanks to Capsaicin in Cayenne Pepper, it has potent pain-relieving properties when applied to the skin in a cream. It reduces the amount of substance P, a chemical that carries pain messages to the brain, in your body. When there is less substance P, the pain messages no longer reach the brain, and you feel relief. Capsaicin is often recommended for the following conditions:
- Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as joint or muscle pain from fibromyalgia or other causes.
- Nerve pain from shingles and other painful skin conditions (postherpetic neuralgia) that happens even after the skin blisters have gone away. Research is mixed. Check with your doctor to see if trying capsaicin ointment is right for you.
- Pain from nerve damage in the feet or legs from diabetes, called diabetic peripheral neuropathy. However, capsaicin doesn't seem to work for peripheral neuropathy from HIV.
- Low back pain. Several studies suggest capsaicin cream can reduce lower back pain.
6] Capsaicin in Cayenne Pepper can treat Psoriasis
Capsaicin cream can reduce itching and inflammation from psoriasis, a long-lasting skin disease that generally appears as patches of raised, red skin covered by a flaky white buildup.
A new study showed that psoriasis patients treated with capsaicin cream had significantly reduced scaling, redness and patchiness. The results of the study suggest that topical application of capsaicin may be a useful new approach in the treatment of psoriasis.
7] Helps stop the spread of Prostate Cancer:
A recent study revealed that Capsaicin from Cayenne Pepper has demonstrated an ability to cause prostate cancer cells to “commit suicide” (a process called apoptosis). Capsaicin does this by attacking the energy-making portion of the cells, called the mitochondria, and it is able to do this without harming the healthy cells that surround the cancer cells.
8] Cayenne Pepper Aids in Digestion:
Cayenne pepper helps improve your digestive process and make it more effective and fast. It stimulates the digestive tract, and increases the flow of enzyme production and gastric juices, thus improving the body’s ability to metabolize food. Cayenne Pepper may help boost the stomach’s defense against infections.
9] It can Prevent Blood Clots in Blood vessels:
Cayenne may help to reduce your risk of developing blood clots due to its high concentration of capsaicin. This wondrous compound is believed to help clear away artery-narrowing lipid deposits, along with dilating arteries and blood vessels, thereby clearing away potential clots.
10] Capsaicin in Cayenne Pepper Anti-Fungal and Anti-Bacterial Benefits:
Studies have shown that Capsaicin in Cayenne Pepper has amazing anti-fungal properties due to the element called CAY-1 – this powerful element was found to be active against 16 different fungal strains, including Candida.
Cayenne Pepper is a Good Solution For Natural Healing:
Cayenne Pepper is a master cleanser, and great food to add to your diet. With so many benefits, you can’t possibly go wrong with Cayenne!
Resources :
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28230360
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3906919/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3169333/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3151435/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3022968/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3760276
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12627807
William says
These are the best helpful health benefits! i hope it's very helpful article to readers thanks for the info
Eve says
My husband loves to try global foods and he is looking for a new country to focus on. I found it so interesting that you mentioned that cayenne pepper has been known to ease nerve pain. I will definitely pass that on to my husband to see what he thinks about it!
Sarah Horn says
Wow a lot of great benefits. Thanks for sharing!
Zoey says
Good flavor and good health benefits! Sounds like a double win to me!
Meagan says
I had no idea!
thobeka says
Im suffering from ulcers so just want to find out if I can use it
Sarah L says
I use a cream that has Capsaicin when my arthritis flares up.
April Monty says
I'm going to share this with everyone i know,what a great natural idea
Calvin F. says
Thanks for sharing, I didnt' know about 3 of them.. definitely great benefits.
LeslieC says
WOW I didn't know that Cayenne pepper was that beneficial...I will definitely be adding more to my diet!
Kimberly Flickinger says
I never knew there were so many healthy benefits to cayenne pepper, I will try more to incorporate it into my diet. Thank you for sharing.