- 10 BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES OF CAYENNE PEPPER
- It helps in digestion
- It helps relieve migraine pain
- It prevents blood clots
- It helps in detoxification
- It relieves joint, nerve and arthritic pain
- It promotes weight loss
- It has an anti-irritant effect
- It is useful against psoriasis
- It boosts the metabolism
- It fights colds, flu and congestion
- PEPPERS ON THE SCOVILLE SCALE
Cayenne pepper benefits your organs, such as your heart or intestines. The name cayenne pepper could lead to confusion because there is a fruit with a similar name.
There is the Capsicum frutescens or cayenne pepper, or also called rabid pepper which is used in Asian and Latin cuisines and the Capsicum annuum, the Cayenne pepper in English. Here we are referring to the sweet pepper which is called paprika or pepper in French. Cayenne pepper is a spice that is obtained by mixing fresh chilli with flour and salt which will give a paste which will be reduced to powder afterwards.
In this article we will focus on the cayenne pepper, the famous Capricum Frutescens.
Cayenne pepper has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for millennia in Central America, indeed discoveries in Mexico suggest that the Mayans already cultivated it 7000 years ago. The plant then established itself in Europe in the 15th century thanks to Spanish colonists. This then allowed the pepper to travel to other continents, such as Africa or Asia where its benefits and flavor are appreciated, which makes Cayenne pepper one of the most widespread spices.
Chilies are often used as a powdered spice for seasoning or used in their whole form in Asian cooking.
The active ingredient in cayenne pepper is capsaicin , which gives the powder its pungency and is also used to counter joint and muscle pain .
In traditional Chinese medicine, cayenne pepper has been used to treat circulatory problems and increase appetite.
Cayenne pepper, this beautiful red vegetable, which has so many health benefits and virtues, is also a very popular ingredient for cooking. It brings flavor and spiciness to dishes, hence its popularity around the world. You can find delicious recipes on the internet for this fruit with beneficial effects. For example, use cayenne pepper in your tea to flavor your water or in an oil for cooking.
Why not use fruits for medicinal purposes more than other products? It's up to you to form your own opinion on its benefits, we are convinced that you will adopt it and that its virtues will relieve you.
10 Benefits and Benefits of Cayenne Pepper!
1. It helps digestion
This is one of the main benefits of cayenne pepper, its positive effect on the digestive system is justified as follows: Cayenne pepper helps produce saliva, which is essential for good digestion and preventing bad breath . Consumption of cayenne pepper stimulates the salivary glands, which is necessary to start the digestive process.
Cayenne pepper also has a positive effect on the flow of enzyme production, which is essential for the proper functioning of our digestive system. Chilli also stimulates gastric juices, which allows the body to metabolize food and toxins.
2. It helps relieve migraine pain
It seems that cayenne pepper is able to stimulate a pain response in another part of the body, this allows the brain to focus its attention on this other part of the body and relieve headaches.
After a first painful reaction due to cayenne pepper, the effect of pain sensation is reduced. It involves manipulating the body to make the pain feel elsewhere.
3. It prevents blood clots
Blood clots are blockages in arteries and blood vessels that restrict blood flow in the body.
Cayenne pepper encourages fibrinolytic activity , which has the effect of preventing the formation of these clots. The capsaicin present in cayenne pepper also helps to remove deposits in the arteries and to dilate them to eliminate clots. Consuming it is also effective in preventing heart attacks.
4. It helps with detoxification
Cayenne pepper has the advantage of stimulating blood circulation and eliminating acidity . It restores the circulatory system by opening capillaries and regulating blood sugar; it also helps the digestive system which flushes out bacteria and toxins from the body. Cayenne pepper also increases body temperature and boosts your metabolism.
5. It relieves joint, nerve and arthritic pain
Cayenne pepper has very powerful analgesic properties when applied to the skin. It reduces the amount of substance P, a chemical that transmits pain messages to the brain. When there is less substance P, the pain messages no longer reach the brain and you feel relief.
Studies have shown that cayenne pepper relieves pain after an operation, such as a mastectomy or amputation. It also relieves pain from nerve damage in the feet or legs caused by diabetes, lower back injuries, neuropathy, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as fibromyalgia symptoms like joint or muscle pain .
Apply to the affected parts, up to 4 times a day, a cream, lotion or ointment containing 0.025% to 0.075% capsaicin. It often takes up to 14 days of treatment before the analgesic effect is fully felt.
There are also capsicum plasters in Chinese shops that are applied to painful joints or muscles.
6. It promotes weight loss
Studies have shown that eating cayenne pepper for breakfast reduces appetite . This has the effect of eating less and therefore fewer calories are ingested during the day. Cayenne pepper also burns excess fat as it is a metabolic stimulant. Cayenne pepper has the power to soothe inflammation and bloating caused by allergies, food sensitivities and infections.
7. It has an anti-irritant effect
Cayenne pepper relieves ulcers, upset stomach, cough and can even potentially stop diarrhea. The common belief is that cayenne pepper, when consumed in excessive amounts, causes gastric ulcers due to its irritating and acidic nature. People with ulcers are advised to limit or avoid the use of cayenne pepper; however, studies in recent years have revealed that chili, or its active ingredient “capsaicin”, is not the cause of the formation of ulcer symptoms, but conversely a beneficial compound.
Studies have shown that cayenne pepper does not stimulate, but inhibits acid secretion, stimulates alkaline and mucous secretions and especially gastric mucosal blood flow, which helps in the prevention and healing of ulcers .
8. It is useful against psoriasis
Psoriasis occurs when skin cells replicate too quickly, resulting in swollen patches under the skin covered with whitish scales on top. Scaly patches are areas of inflammation and excess skin production.
Two trials have shown that 0.025% capsaicin (cayenne pepper) cream used topically is effective in the treatment of psoriasis. The first study showed a significant decrease in scaling and redness over a six-week period in 44 patients with moderate and severe psoriasis. The second was a double-blind study of 197 patients; the psoriasis was treated with the capsaicin cream four times a day for six weeks, with a significant decrease in thickness, redness and itching.
9. It Boosts Metabolism
Cayenne pepper benefits and benefits also include its ability to regulate your metabolism. Cayenne pepper has been found to effectively suppress hunger and normalize glucose levels. It regulates blood pressure and helps the body lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
10. It fights colds, flu and congestion
Cayenne pepper helps replenish beta-carotene and antioxidants that support your immune system. It helps break up and move congested mucus, and once that nasty mucus leaves the body, flu or cold symptoms will lessen. In addition to acting as a natural flu remedy, cayenne pepper increases your body temperature, which causes you to sweat and increases the activity of your immune system. Composed of vitamin C , cayenne pepper can also help you fight that nasty cold.
There are no studies to support this use, but cayenne pepper may help relieve congestion temporarily by narrowing blood vessels in the nose and throat.
Peppers on the Scoville scale:
To get to see more clearly in all these peppers, we have a man called Wilbur Scoville, an American pharmacologist, who in 1912 invented the Scoville scale which is still used today to classify peppers by strength.
Scoville gave each pepper a score on a scale that ranges from 0 to 16 million for pure capsaicin. Capsaicin being the active substance that gives the pepper its hot and spicy taste.
Find below a simplified scale with the most common peppers:
|
SCOVILLE UNITS |
CHILI PRODUCT OR VARIETY |
|
100,000 – 325,000 |
Habanero (Caribbean pepper or goat pepper) |
|
30,000 – 60,000 |
Pequin, bird pepper |
|
30,000 – 50,000 |
Cayenne pepper |
|
10,000 – 30,000 |
Serrano |
|
5,000 – 16,000 |
White pepper, black pepper |
|
2,500 – 8,000 |
Jalapeno |
|
1,500 – 2,500 |
Espelette pepper |
|
1000 – 1500 |
Poblano |
|
100 – 500 |
Sweet paprika, sweet peppers |
|
0 – 100 |
Pepper |
You now know everything about cayenne pepper and all its benefits, enjoy!