Cayenne peppers (Capsicum annuum) are a member of the nightshade family, along-with tomatoes, aubergines and potatoes. They have a moderately spicy, hot flavour thanks to a plant compound called capsaicin, which is concentrated in the seeds and the white pith of the fruit. Although you may be more likely to add cayenne peppers to a chilli con carne, both cayenne and its active constituent capsaicin are available in supplement form and as a topical cream, too.
The potential benefits of cayenne include pain relief, boosting metabolism to aid weight loss and supporting circulation and blood pressure. Your social media feed may be full of other supposed benefits, such as enhancing sports performance, but there’s limited support for some of these. Read on to get the full low-down.
The benefits of cayenne pepper include:
- Source of capsaicin
- May have antioxidant properties
- May relieve pain
- May reduce the risk of heart disease
- May help stomach ulcers heal
- May improve gut health
- May help weight management
- May reduce metabolic syndrome
- May help manage blood pressure
- May support blood sugar management
Discover our full range of health benefit guides including the health benefits of peppers and is spicy food good for you?
10 potential benefits of cayenne pepper
1. Source of capsaicin
Capsaicin is a plant compound produced by plants of the Capsicum family, with one exception being the bell pepper. Many of the health benefits associated with eating chilli peppers is down to the capsaicin content.
The Scoville heat unit scale, is the measure of strength and spiciness of chilli peppers, and is also a measure of the amount of capsaicin – cayenne peppers are recorded as medium-hot, making them hotter than jalapeños and richer in capsaicin.
2. May have anti-oxidant properties
As well as capsaicin, cayenne peppers contain other plant compounds with protective properties, these include flavonoids and carotenoids. A study in 2015 reported that varieties of Capsicum annuum, including the cayenne pepper, had the greatest antioxidant activity when compared with other types of pepper.
3. May relieve pain
Capsaicin has a long history of use as an analgesic – it can be administered topically, injected into the skin’s dermis or taken as an oral supplement. It is thought that capsaicin stimulates the release of a substance known as neuropeptide P from sensory neurons, and this appears to restrict pain signals to the brain and as a result lower the overall pain sensation. Studies support using topical capsaicin creams and patches to help relieve pain in conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, muscle sprains and migraines.
4. May reduce the risk of heart disease
A large adult study found that regular consumption of capsaicin was associated with a lower risk of heart disease. The reason behind this is thought to be a reduction in inflammation as well as other harmful activities that may contribute to plaque formation in the arteries (also referred to as atherosclerosis).
5. May help stomach ulcers heal
Capsaicin may help stomach ulcers to heal by reducing acid production, stimulating mucus secretions and improving gastric mucosal blood flow. These actions work together to help protect the gut lining and as a result promote an environment that facilitates healing.
6. May improve gut health
There is growing evidence that capsaicin may help improve the community of beneficial bacteria and other microbes that live in the intestines (collectively known as the gut microbiome). Capsaicin does this by positively influencing the composition, abundance and function of these beneficial microbes and in turn this healthy gut microbiome helps lower the risk of chronic disease including heart disease, diabetes and certain allergies.
7. May help weight management
Consuming capsaicin, on a regular basis, may help with weight loss, this is because capsaicin is thought to be thermogenic which means it can temporarily increase body temperature and, as a result, increase metabolism. However, long-term effects on metabolism and weight loss are considered insignificant.
8. May reduce metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. These risk factors include high blood fats (triglycerides), low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), abdominal obesity, high blood pressure and impaired fasting blood glucose. When consumed regularly, capsaicin may help in reducing all these risk factors by improving insulin sensitivity, decreasing body fat and improving heart and liver function.
9. May reduce blood pressure
Research has found that the long-term consumption of capsaicin helps blood vessels to relax and may reduce blood pressure in those with hypertension. Scientists believe there may be a genetic role here because the TRPV 1 gene, which is activated when we eat capsaicin, is also involved in regulating blood pressure.
10. May support blood sugar management
Studies suggest capsaicin may help reduce blood glucose levels by improving insulin sensitivity, which in turn may reduce the risk of diabetes and improve the markers measured for those with type 2 diabetes.
Dosage
There are no standard guidelines or recommendations for dosage although when given in supplement form, capsaicin is typically taken in doses ranging from about 1.2 to 12 mg, although weight loss studies have used up to 135mg per day. Supplements usually contain the dried cayenne powder – a capsule containing 500mg of dried cayenne pepper typically provides between 1.2-2.5mg of capsaicin. However, always check the label so that you understand exactly how much of the active capsaicin is available from the suggested daily dose.
Animal models have reported health benefits when capsaicin is administered at levels that represent 0.01-0.02 per cent of the daily diet, in humans this would equate to a weight of dried chilli that would provide approximately 40mg of capsaicin. Oral administration at this level can be challenging, as this amount of dried chilli pepper may be unpleasant to eat. When administered as an encapsulated supplement it is likely to be more acceptable although some people, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome, may experience gut irritation, taking the supplement with food may help mitigate this. Similarly, topical cream may cause skin irritation, a burning sensation and itching for some people.
Ways to eat more cayenne pepper
Adding cayenne pepper to your food and drinks may be easier than you think, here are our favourite ways to add a little spice:
- Sprinkle dried cayenne over homemade potato wedges or fries, we love the sweet and spicy flavours of our sweet potato fries;
- Add a pinch to a smoothie, juice or even hot chocolate;
- Flavour home-made hummus and dips by adding a final flourish of cayenne pepper;
- Stir into a curry, veggie casserole, soup or chowder;
- Sprinkle on to an omelette or Spanish tortilla;
- Add to savoury bakes like our cheesy savoury biscuits or our classic cheese scones.
Overall, is cayenne a good supplement to take?
To date, the research on the effects of taking capsaicin as a supplement is limited, with more convincing evidence available for its use as a topical cream. Similarly, it is unclear whether eating chilli peppers supplies adequate amounts of capsaicin to have the required therapeutic effect. That said, few adverse effects with capsaicin have been observed, suggesting chilli peppers and capsaicin is, for the majority of us, a safe addition to the diet.
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Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a BANT Registered Nutritionist® with a post graduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food.
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