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The 18 Surprising Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper
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13. Relief from joint pain
The capsaicin in cayenne peppers acts as a temporary pain reliever when applied topically. This sends signals from the skin to the joint, which can relieve joint pain.
14. Detox
Well known from the Master Cleanse program, this pepper is a circulatory stimulant. Cayenne increases the pulse of the digestive system and the lymph system. Cayenne also causes us to remove toxins through sweat. Combining honey, lemon juice, and cayenne tea is a great way to start a total body detox in the morning.
15. Helps prevent blood clots
For reducing atherosclerosis, and encouraging fibrinolytic activity, you can’t beat cayenne pepper. Preventing blood clots can help to reduce your chances of a stroke or heart attack.
16. Aids healthy digestion
Well-known for its ability to improve digestion, cayenne stimulates the digestive tract by increasing the flow of gastric juices and the production of enzymes. Cayenne pepper is also great for relieving gas.
17. Encourages saliva flow
As you can imagine, cayenne stimulates the body’s production of saliva, which is important for digestion, as well as better oral health.
18. Anti-cancer agent
Loma Linda University in California, conducted a study that found cayenne pepper can help stop lung cancer in those who smoke, along with lung tumors. Other studies have found that cayenne resists the formation of liver tumors as well. This might be related to the high levels of capsaicin found in cayenne, but scientists are not sure of the actual reason.
Always remember to wash your hands right after using cayenne and never touch your face, especially your eyes, after using. You will experience some serious burning should you forget this simple advice.
Also, if you take ACE inhibitors, like Elaroptril or Captopril, you should avoid using cayenne pepper as this increases coughing and stomach acid.
Sources:
P.C. Agarwal, Usha Dev, Baleshwar Singh, Indra Rani, Dinesh Chand, R.K. Khetarpal. Seed-borne fungi identified from exotic pepper (Capsicum spp.) germplasm samples introduced during 1976–2005. PGR Newsletter – Bioversity. issue. 149, pp.39-42.
Urashima M, Segawa T, Okazaki M, Kurihara M, Wada Y, Ida H. Randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 May;91(5):1255-60. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.29094. Epub 2010 Mar 10.
