7 Reasons to Add Cayenne Pepper to Your Diet

Hispanics love for spicy food is no surprise. In fact, most Hispanic and Latin American countries are known for using some type of pepper in their food to add a little bit of heat. It just gives food that extra kick of flavor that makes food taste even better. Cayenne pepper or red chili peppers are used in many Latin American countries. It’s a member of the capsicum family of peppers, which has many health benefits.

Capsaicin is an active component of chili peppers, which is what produces that burning sensation when you eat it. Most people like to add cayenne pepper to their food because they like that extra kick, but there’s a reason you start sweating and your nose starts running when you eat this. Capsaicin found in cayenne pepper causes your body to respond as if it were in a hot environment. It activates chemical receptors inside your body to cause a reflexive cooling response, which is why you start sweating.

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Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper

1. Digestion: Cayenne stimulates the digestive tract, increasing the flow of enzyme production and gastric juices, which help the body metabolize food and toxins.
2. Weight loss: It helps increase your body temperature, suppresses your appetite and increases the number of calories you burn when you add half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to your meal.
3. Unclogs your nose: Your chemical receptors inside your body feel the heat inside your body, which cause a cooling response. This is why you get a runny nose; because it stimulates the release of mucus from respiratory passages and it opens your airways.
4. Reduces your blood sugar: People with diabetes that are used to adding cayenne pepper to their diet require less insulin to reduce their blood sugar.
5. Pain reliever: It’s no surprise that many joint and pain reliever creams use capsaicin as the main ingredient, which is found in cayenne peppers. It offers relief for joint pain and is something that is often used to relieve arthritis pain.
6. Heart friendly: Cayenne pepper helps normalize your blood pressure and it balances your LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. It also helps with blood circulation, blood clotting and prevents heart disease.
7. Detox: Cayenne pepper increases the pulse of the lymphatic and digestive rhythms. You can start your mornings out with a glass of water with a pinch of cayenne, lemon juice, and honey for a total body detox.

These are only a few reasons why cayenne is so powerful. It is also used for migraine prevention, protects you from getting the flu, helps produce saliva and even fights cancer from your body. The fact is that if you’re not already eating spicy food, you should start because cayenne pepper is one of those great spices that not only make your food taste better, but they also work wonders for your overall health.

Try This Recipe: Mexican Spicy Empanadas