Cayenne pepper has been a widely used spice and traditional medicine for centuries. It contains high amounts of vitamins and minerals that give it its unique healing properties, especially for the digestive system. It works as a powerful catalyst and has powers to enhance the benefits of other foods. Cayenne is considered to have miraculous benefits for the circulatory system and heart. According to studies, it has properties that help in rebuilding stomach tissue and boosting peristaltic action within intestines.
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Herbalists have been using cayenne as part of traditional medicine for curing many health disorders including:
- Stomach aches
- Varicose veins
- Gas
- Constipation
- Cramps
- Allergies
Most importantly, cayenne has been used effectively in relieving heart attacks.
1. Powerful Detox Agent
Cayenne is a powerful circulatory stimulant that boosts digestive rhythms and lymphatic pulse.
It helps in heating your body and streamlines the natural detox process. Cayenne further helps with the detox process by causing sweating.
If you take cayenne, honey and lemon juice every morning, it will work as a powerful detox agent for the complete body.
2. Burn More Calories
If you are finding it impossible to lose weight even after using dozens of methods, it’s time to use cayenne.
A study at the Purdue University, involving 25 adults for 6 weeks, found that cayenne caused increase in body temperatures and increased calorie burn.
Take just 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper with your meal and it will help in not only burning calories, but suppressing your appetite too.
The subjects in the study also reported that their appetites reduced significantly and they no longer craved for sweet, fatty and salty foods.
3. Control Blood Sugar Levels
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports a study involving diabetics who took a meal with good amounts of cayenne. They were found later not to require as much insulin for controlling their blood sugar. This showed that cayenne is also a great ingredient in anti-diabetes diet.
One research study shows that mice with type I diabetes were treated using capsaicin extract. The ingredient helped in depleting a unique compound known as substance-p within the pancreas. It helped the organ in against start producing insulin.
Cayenne pepper has been used in traditional medicine for many years for improving diabetes. These studies are only confirming these benefits which were known centuries ago.
4. Boost Heart Health
Cayenne has an ingredient called capsaicin, which has been linked to minimizing the damages caused by heart attacks and strokes. Scientists have conducted many studies to ascertain the claims of traditional medicine that cayenne works as a natural healer for stopping heart attacks.
Dr. Keith Jones of the Cincinnati University claims to have found that capsaicin activated certain protective powers in the heart of mice when applied on their skin. It was found that the ingredient helped in reducing heart cell death by up to 85%. The study has been published in the journal Circulation in 2009.
Researchers are also studying the benefits of cayenne pepper on human beings.
5. Preventing Blood Clots
Cayenne pepper promotes fibrinolytic activity. It helps in preventing factors that cause blood clotting. This makes it a great preventative food for strokes, heart attack and atherosclerosis.
6. Fighting Cancer
According to research study conducted at the Loma Linda University, California, using cayenne pepper can be helpful in preventing lung cancer in regular smokers.
It is believed that capsaicin is the active ingredient responsible for this benefit too. It works by preventing tobacco-induced lung tumors from forming. In fact, cayenne has also been found to help prevent formation of tumors in the liver.
References:
http://www.celestialhealing.net/cayenne.htm
http://www.rd.com/health/conditions/health-benefits-cayenne-pepper/
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/benefits-of-cayenne-pepper/
http://www.naturalhealth365.com/cayenne-pepper-stop-heart-attack-1145.html