Spice Up Your Life: How Cayenne Pepper Benefits Your Health and Heart
Making sure your diet is filled with a whole litany of fresh, nutritious, whole foods is the key to setting yourself up for a happy, healthy life. In many regards, what you eat dictates a lot of what you do and how you feel. There are so many crazy benefits to eating food that isn’t processed and Clean Juice is a big advocate of this. Now, we can’t speak for every health ailment as we aren’t doctors, but eating a balanced diet can be a solution for a lot of health issues many may be facing.
Though other factors, such as physical activity, stress, and pre existing medical conditions, also play a huge role in your overall health, it is difficult to maintain good energy levels, a healthy weight, and properly functioning bodily systems without paying close attention to your daily food intake and what exactly you are consuming. “You are what you eat.” We know you have heard that once or twice before.
Most people know about the importance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats in your diet. However, there is so much more to a nutritious, varied diet than just the major macronutrients. Foods packed with micronutrients can be extremely effective for proper bodily function and keep you feeling your best each day.
One example of these foods is cayenne pepper, a relatively well-known spice that may have more health value than expected. And cayenne peppers, well peppers in general are definitely having their moment. Check out this cutie Macho Pepper plant you can purchase at your local Trader Joe’s.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways cayenne pepper benefits health, wellness, and longevity when included as a regular part of your diet. And just as an aside, although some people can handle eating a cayenne pepper by itself, we’d suggest trying it in a few other forms and with a few other food options. If you are feeling like your diet is pretty bland, cayenne, in any form, is a great one to add into the rotation. More on it’s spice level later . . .
Table of contents:
- The Basics of Cayenne Pepper Benefits: Size, Taste, Texture, and Nutrition
- Where Does Cayenne Pepper Come From?
- What Are the Cayenne Pepper Benefits for Health?
- Ways to Include Cayenne Pepper Benefits in Your Daily Routine
- Best Superfoods to Pair with Cayenne Pepper
- Experience How Cayenne Pepper Benefits Your Health with Clean Juice
The Basics of Cayenne Pepper Benefits: Size, Taste, Texture, and Nutrition
Even if you’ve seen powdered cayenne pepper in a spice drawer before, you may never have thought about where this household spice comes from.
Cayenne peppers, in their most natural form, are long, thin, bright red peppers, and their scientific name is Capsicum Annum. In fact, cayenne peppers are included in the same plant family as tomatoes, which can explain their nearly identical color.
One of the key compounds found in cayenne peppers is capsaicin, which gives the pepper its hot, spicy flavor. In addition to capsaicin, cayenne pepper contains a long list of health-boosting nutrients, including vitamins C, E, B, and A, as well as antioxidants and minerals like manganese and potassium.
Cayenne peppers, in their whole form, are usually between 4 and 10 inches long and provide a slightly sweet and smoky taste underneath the spiciness when eaten raw. When ripe, the cayenne pepper should feel smooth but firm to the touch and have a crunchy texture when bitten.
Though cayenne pepper is spicy, it’s not the hottest pepper you can find. On the Scoville scale, which measures the spiciness of substances, cayenne peppers rank between 30,000 and 50,000 SHU (Scoville heat units). That puts it near the lower middle when ranking all known chili peppers from around the world against one another.
Generally, a tablespoon is considered to be the proper serving size for cayenne pepper, though if you’re eating it in its whole form, your serving size may be larger.
One tablespoon of cayenne pepper benefits your body with a huge variety of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, multiple B vitamins, iron, and more, at around 17 calories. Additionally, a serving of cayenne pepper contains small amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
Where Does Cayenne Pepper Come From?
Cayenne pepper originated in the Cayenne region of French Guiana. Today, the pepper grows around the world in multiple countries, including India, eastern Africa, Central and South America, and some parts of the United States. Cayenne peppers grow on a specific type of shrub that thrives in tropical and subtropical climates.
Historically, cayenne pepper was used as a remedy for several ailments, such as heart disease, respiratory problems, arthritis, indigestion, and more.
Though this pepper has been used and consumed in many different forms throughout North, Central, and South America for thousands of years, cayenne pepper benefits came to Europe later.
The pepper was reported to have been originally brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus in the 15th century, as it doesn’t naturally grow in most European climates.
Different Forms of Cayenne Pepper
If you want to enjoy the many cayenne pepper benefits as well as its sweet, smoky, and spicy flavor palate, there are many ways to do so. Whole fresh cayenne peppers can often be found at your local grocery or health food store, especially if you live in or near an area where the climate is right for the growth of these peppers. Or if you’re feeling bold and want to quickly add it into your system, you can always take a hot shot (there is turmeric in this one, too!) to boost your overall daily wellness.
Whole dried cayenne peppers are readily available throughout the United States and beyond since they can be transported quite a distance from their growing site without sacrificing the quality of taste and nutrition.
One of the most common forms of cayenne pepper is its ground form, which is, by far, the most accessible. The vast majority of major grocery store chains carry ground cayenne pepper no matter how far from a growing site they might be located, as this spice is easily stored and transported without losing freshness and potency.
How to Store Cayenne Pepper
Storing methods for cayenne pepper will depend on whether your pepper is fresh or dried and whole or ground.
Fresh cayenne pepper should be stored inside of a plastic bag in the refrigerator, preferably in the vegetable or crisper drawer for optimal freshness. Aim to consume your fresh cayenne pepper within a few days of purchasing. If it loses its tight texture and starts to become soft or mushy, it may be past ripe. Most people are pretty familiar with the firmness of a pepper so if your gut is telling you it’s not a good idea to consume it, you are probably right.
Dried and ground cayenne pepper can both be stored in the pantry or another cool, dry place. While ground cayenne pepper should come in its own container, you may need to allocate a glass jar, Tupperware, or similar container for your whole dried cayenne peppers to keep them fresh and protected from mold.
Dried cayenne pepper can also last for several months in the freezer when stored in a freezer-safe container.
Are There Any Cayenne Pepper Side Effects?
The many cayenne pepper benefits make it a desirable food to include in your diet, and this pepper is generally safe for consumption by the general population. However, there are a few features of cayenne pepper to keep in mind before you consume it regularly or in large quantities.
Capsaicin, the compound that gives cayenne pepper and other peppers their spice and heat, should be consumed with care. Capsaicin causes irritation and a burning sensation in any tissue it comes into contact with, which is why foods containing this compound give the sensation of heat and spiciness.
Though your tissue isn’t actually being burned, eating too much cayenne pepper at once can cause extreme discomfort and even pain in the mouth and throat.
Additionally, some preexisting conditions may not combine very well with cayenne pepper benefits. Those with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, should use caution when consuming cayenne pepper. The high capsaicin content in this pepper can cause painful flare-ups for people that suffer from IBS or other digestive concerns.
Allergies to cayenne pepper are not typical. However, if you consume cayenne pepper and notice any skin breakouts, abnormal coughing, or swelling, make sure to contact a physician right away.
What Are the Cayenne Pepper Benefits for Health?
You may be wondering about the specific cayenne pepper benefits that can be seen when including this powerful food in your diet regularly. Here are just a few of the ways in which cayenne pepper benefits health and makes an impact on your well-being. And if you are curious of the actual nutritional breakdown, Mike at Chili Pepper Madness provides an awesome visualization.
Packed with Antioxidants
One of the best cayenne pepper benefits is the food’s high antioxidant content in all its forms. Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemicals that help neutralize free radicals in the body.
Free radicals damage our internal organs and tissues through oxidative stress. The more antioxidants you consume in your diet, the better your body will be equipped to fight against these harmful compounds. Essentially, these antioxidants can help fight against illnesses
Aid in Digestion
Cayenne pepper benefits the digestive system using its primary compound, capsaicin. This compound can help increase the rate at which your digestive organs secrete gastric juices, making the digestion process occur more smoothly and preventing bloating in the gut.
Capsaicin also helps to reduce gut inflammation and decrease the risk of developing metabolic disease. Additionally, the vitamin B content in every serving of cayenne pepper also aids digestion and increases the metabolism by helping break down sugars and fats in the system.
Pain Relieving Properties
Though capsaicin can cause a hot, burning sensation when consumed in the form of peppers, the compound can also help stimulate the body’s natural pain receptors when applied topically.
If you struggle with chronic pain or arthritis, a topical cayenne pepper solution might help reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Just make sure to ask your doctor if this option is right for you.
Better Heart Health
There are many ways that cayenne pepper benefits your heart health. Capsaicin has vasodilatory properties, which means that it helps keep your blood vessels wide so that blood can flow in and out of your heart with ease and your blood pressure remains in a healthy range.
Additionally, the potassium found in cayenne pepper benefits your heart by helping regulate your heartbeat. Regular ingestion of capsaicin can also aid in keeping your levels of bad cholesterol at a low range and prevent harmful blood clotting, which reduces the risk of having a stroke.
Helps Decrease Congestion
If your sinuses are congested due to a cold or flu, taking cayenne pepper can help clear your nose and throat and decrease congestion. It’s an awesome home remedy, as is ginger and horseradish. The capsaicin found in cayenne pepper benefits your sinuses and nasal pathways by thinning mucous, which makes your coughs and nose blowings more productive and decreases the length of your symptoms. Besides thinning mucus and keep your from feeling so stuffy, the pepper can alleviate any sinus pressure that you may be feeling and can reduce inflammation. Just add a little dash to some hot water or tea. There is also scientific evidence that says that snorting cayenne pepper (in moderation, of course) or running a Q-tip with cayenne around the nostrils can help, too. This wouldn’t be our preferred method at Clean Juice, but if it helps!
Supports Tooth and Bone Health
Two of the most important minerals for dental and bone health are magnesium and calcium, which are both found in every serving of cayenne pepper.
Not only are these minerals effective for strengthening your bones and teeth, but capsaicin also has powerful anti-inflammatory effects that can help relieve arthritis and fibromyalgia symptoms.
Strong Immune System
Strong immunity is important to most people, and cayenne pepper benefits your immune system directly due to the pepper’s ability to restrict disease-carrying microbes from entering your body when ingested.
Additionally, the proteins found in cayenne pepper can help stimulate antibody synthesis, which strengthens the body’s immune response when pathogens are present. Vitamin C is also abundant in cayenne pepper, and it is well known to support the functionality of the immune system as well as many other internal systems. Thinking that cayenne pepper might be a good addition to your diet but wanting to start slowly? Our “Yellow” cold-pressed juice may be the way to start. While it has cayenne, it also includes pure maple syrup to create a harmonious balance.
Ways to Include Cayenne Pepper Benefits in Your Daily Routine
Cayenne pepper benefits are easy to incorporate into your daily meals, especially if you like the taste of spicy foods. You can add a hint of cayenne pepper to pasta dishes, on top of baked chicken or salmon, or even sprinkle it over some roasted sweet potatoes.
If you’re feeling congested, adding some cayenne pepper to your tea, along with some ginger and lemon, is a great way to help clear your sinuses and relieve your symptoms.
Best Superfoods to Pair with Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper benefits can combine with the health-boosting properties of other superfoods in order to have an even greater effect on your overall well-being. The pepper can add a delicious kick of flavor and heat to any tasty beverage or meal, such as beet juice, celery juice, and even a blended acai bowl.
When consuming cayenne pepper in its powdered form, this spice mixes very well with cinnamon to elevate the taste and nutritional profile of your meal.
The sweet, earthy flavor of cinnamon and the smoky spice of cayenne pepper complement each other well and can be enjoyed in a variety of foods, including soups, stews, juices, and baked vegetables.
Experience How Cayenne Pepper Benefits Your Health with Clean Juice
Eating for great health can (and should!) be delicious, easy, and enjoyable. With Clean Juice, you can take advantage of all the best cayenne pepper benefits and other superfood benefits with fresh juices, acai bowls, sandwiches, and so much more.
Additionally, you can get your nutritious meals delivered right to your door to make getting healthy more convenient!
Ready to get started on your health journey with Clean Juice? Boosting your health has never been so easy — or so tasty. Order now from one of our many locations across the U.S.
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Disclaimer: The information presented here is for educational purposes only and is in no way intended as a substitute for medical counseling. Consult your doctor before using any health treatment, including natural remedies, and tell your doctor if you have a serious medical condition or are taking any medications.
If you’re unsure whether cayenne pepper would be a healthy addition to your wellness routine, ask your doctor if any of your health details might make cayenne pepper unsafe for you.