6 Healthy Reasons to Spice Up Your Life with Cayenne Pepper

Here at Spiceman, we believe that a diet rich in natural herbs and spices will provide significant health benefits to you and your family.

Take cayenne pepper, a key natural ingredient in our Herbal Spicy Jerk Sauce. This long and skinny bright red pepper not only adds a flavourful kick to many dishes, but also provides some significant health benefits. In fact, it might be just what the doctor ordered.

Here are six healthy reasons to make cayenne pepper a regular staple of your diet.

1. Improves blood circulation and heart health

Cayenne pepper improves circulation and helps reduce the chance of blood clots. Regular consumption can also lower blood pressure and help improve blood flow through the heart. In addition, there is some evidence that the capsaicin in cayenne pepper reduces inflammation within the body, which can further lower the risk of heart disease.

Flavouring your food with cayenne pepper will enable you to cut back on salt. Less salt in your diet will contribute to a healthier heart, especially if you are prone to high blood pressure.

2. Aids digestion

While you may have heard that spicy foods are hard to digest, cayenne pepper actually helps aid digestion by increasing the number of gastric juices in the stomach and stimulating the production of digestive enzymes.

Once food leaves your stomach, cayenne keeps your intestines moving, minimizes intestinal gas, and helps regulate bowel movements.

3. Detoxes the body

Cayenne pepper causes body temperature to increase, stimulating the release of toxins through perspiration. Removing toxins from your body helps keep your organs healthy, protects your body against cancer-causing free radicals and lowers the risk of other diseases.

Some people drink cayenne tea each morning for their daily detox. This tea can be made from cayenne powder, honey and lemon.

4. Helps maintain a healthy weight

Regular consumption of cayenne pepper will naturally boost your metabolism, forcing the body to burn calories more quickly. This slows weight gain and, in some cases, may contribute to weight loss. An additional benefit of increased metabolism is feeling more energetic throughout the day.

Cayenne also acts as an appetite suppressant so that people feel fuller longer and have less desire to snack between meals.  

5. Provides high levels of Vitamin A

Dried cayenne powder is an excellent source of Vitamin A - one teaspoon provides 15% of your recommended daily dose. Vitamin A plays a vital role in eye health and vision. It’s also necessary for healthy teeth and bones, the proper functioning of your heart and other organs, and boosting your immune system.

Vitamin A helps slow signs of aging by promoting tissue repair and muscle growth and maintaining adequate moisture levels in skin and hair.

6. Helps you breathe more freely

Cayenne pepper helps clear your sinuses, allowing you to breathe more freely. It may provide temporary relief for sinus congestion related to colds or allergies.

The high amount of beta-carotene (Vitamin A) in cayenne helps the mucus membranes in your sinus system protect your body from invading bacteria, viruses, and other organisms.

Cayenne is a versatile spice that will blend with almost any type of cuisine. You can sprinkle a little into nearly any dish to give it a flavour pop. Here are a few suggestions:

· Stir-fries

· Curries

· Casseroles

· Stews

· Chilis

· Soups

· Tacos

· Cornbread

· Pasta

· Frittatas and omelets

· Dressings and marinades

As you can see, cayenne pepper is as nutritious as it is flavourful!

Spiceman Manufacturing uses only the highest quality, organic ingredients in our sauces, so be sure to choose Spiceman Herbal Spicy Jerk Sauces as your main source of cayenne pepper.

Please note that if you take blood thinners or ACE inhibitors, check with your physician before using cayenne medicinally. Also, because it is classed as a stimulant, be aware of combining it with other stimulants.