Cayenne pepper, a fiery spice derived from the Capsicum annuum plant, has been a culinary staple and a component of traditional medicine for centuries. Its active ingredient, capsaicin, is responsible for its pungent flavor and has been linked to various health benefits, including potential weight loss. But is it true that cayenne pepper can rev up your metabolism and help you lose weight? Let's explore the evidence.
What is Cayenne Pepper?
Cayenne pepper belongs to the family of flowering plants and is related to bell peppers. Originally grown in Central and South America, cayenne pepper was brought to Europe in the 15th century by Christopher Columbus. It is a popular spice used in many different styles of regional cooking and has been used in medicine for thousands of years.
Cayenne peppers have a fairly rich nutritional composition, including many antioxidants that are beneficial for your health. A tablespoon of about 5 grams of cayenne pepper includes:
- Calories: 17
- Fat: 1 gram
- Carb: 3 grams
- Fiber: 1.4 grams
- Protein: 0.6 grams
- Vitamin A: 44% RDI
- Vitamin E: 8 % RDI
- Vitamin C: 7% RDI
- Vitamin B6: 6% RDI
- Vitamin K: 5% RDI
- Manganese: 5% RDI
- Potassium: 3% RDI
- Riboflavin: 3% RDI
Capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne pepper, gives it healing properties, while also offering a spicy flavor. The spiciness of cayenne pepper depends on the amount of capsaicin contained in its composition. The more capsaicin a chili pepper contains, the hotter it gets. Cayenne peppers have a heat range of 30,000-50,000 SHUs (Scoville Heat Units).
Potential Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne peppers can provide a variety of health benefits:
Read also: Weight Loss with Lemon Ginger Cayenne
- Relieves cold symptoms: Cayenne pepper can help relieve cold symptoms like congestion and sneezing.
- Antibacterial properties: It may have antibacterial properties.
- Antioxidant source: Contains antioxidants, like vitamin C, beta-carotene (a vitamin A precursor) and vitamin E.
- Pain Relief: The capsaicin in chili peppers is a potent pain reliever. When applied topically to your skin, capsaicin can help with pain by reducing the amount of a chemical messenger known as substance P, which travels to your brain to signal discomfort. The FDA has approved topical capsaicin treatment for certain kinds of nerve pain, and research on capsaicin injections to relieve arthritis pain is promising.
- Psoriasis treatment: Topical capsaicin creams can help reduce itching and improve skin inflammation related to psoriasis.
- Digestive health: The capsaicin in cayenne pepper stimulates the nerves in your stomach that produce digestive fluids, which helps your digestion. Research shows it may even help prevent the most common type of stomach ulcers, which are caused by the H. pylori bacteria.
- Reducing heart disease: Studies on animals have shown that the capsaicin in chili peppers may help reduce heart-related problems such as high blood pressure by calming inflammation, but we need more research to know if it translates to people.
- Lowering cancer risks: Some studies show that capsaicin has strong anticancer abilities. It's been shown to target tumors and slow the growth and spread of cancer cells. It may even be able to kill certain types of cancer cells, including prostate, skin, and pancreatic.
Cayenne Pepper and Weight Management
The claim that cayenne pepper aids in weight loss primarily stems from the properties of capsaicin.
Metabolism Boost
Capsaicin contained in cayenne pepper has metabolism-boosting properties and helps increase the amount of heat your body produces, so you can burn more calories each day. Cayenne pepper works to boost your body's metabolism through a diet-induced thermogenesis, increasing your metabolism.
A study using cayenne pepper shows that people who eat a breakfast containing capsaicin and medium-chain triglyceride oil burn 51% more calories in that meal, compared with those who didn't. Although capsaicin boosts metabolism, the overall effect is minimal.
In another study, people who eat 1 gram of red cayenne pepper burn only 10 extra calories within 4 and a half hours, compared with those who didn't. People who regularly use cayenne pepper may not find its benefits to the body over time, as the body has adapted to the effects of the chili.
Appetite Suppression
Cayenne pepper can control your hunger, while helping you eat less along with making you feel full for a longer time. Many studies show that the compound capsaicin in cayenne pepper has the ability to help suppress appetite. However, peppers are not entirely understood, but one study has shown that it reduces the production of the hunger hormone named ghrelin.
Read also: Does Cayenne Pepper Help You Lose Weight?
People using the compound capsaicin eat less food during the day than those who did not. In addition, the subjects of this study also reported feeling fuller despite fewer calories consumed.
Scientific Evidence
Animal studies have shown that capsaicin plays a positive role in weight management. However, the results in human research are controversial.
A meta-analysis of fifteen RCT with 762 individuals included in a study showed that, compared with the control group, the supplementation of capsaicin resulted in significant reduction on BMI (WMD: -0·25 kg/m2, 95 % CI = -0·35, -0·15 kg/m2, P < 0·05), body weight (BW) (WMD: -0·51 kg, 95 % CI = -0·86, -0·15 kg, P < 0·05) and waist circumference (WC) (WMD: -1·12 cm, 95 % CI = -2·00, -0·24 cm, P < 0·05).
A 2021 study found that capsaicin may contribute to overall weight loss by: promoting internal fat-burning processes, increasing feelings of fullness, increasing how many calories you burn, and reducing food consumption.
A 2017 review also found that capsaicin may help activate brown fat, a type of body fat that helps your body maintain warmth in a process called thermogenesis. This may contribute to burning calories. Lastly, a 2018 study found that taking 4 milligrams (mg) of capsaicin supplements for 12 weeks helped decrease body fat percentage.
Read also: The Power of Spices: Cayenne, Cinnamon, Turmeric
However, despite these positive results, it’s important to remember that research examines the effects of capsaicin supplements, not cayenne pepper. There’s no determined amount of cayenne pepper that may have weight loss benefits.
How to Incorporate Cayenne Pepper into Your Diet
Cayenne pepper is easy to incorporate into your diet and it comes in many different forms, including foods, spices and supplements. You can add a dash of cayenne pepper to many of your favorite dishes, such as eggs, homemade fries, and even sauces. Alternatively, you can slice cayenne pepper and add it to a salad.
You can add cayenne powder to water, smoothies, and other beverages. You can also cook the cayenne pepper, but if you don’t like the taste, try adding it to dishes that are already flavorful, such as curries, stews, and chilis.
You can use fresh cayenne peppers or cayenne pepper powder in a variety of ways:
- Add a dash of ground cayenne pepper to soups and stews.
- Sprinkle chopped fresh cayenne peppers over your scrambled eggs, quiches, or egg salad.
- Mix a teaspoon or two of ground cayenne pepper into hummus.
- Add a pinch of ground cayenne pepper to your hot chocolate or homemade lemonade.
- Add fresh chopped cayenne peppers to your next batch of sautéed vegetables.
- Mix chopped fresh peppers into your favorite cornbread batter.
- Combine fresh peppers and lemon juice with cooked greens such as collards or kale.
Dosage and Safety Considerations
When it comes to the best dosage of cayenne pepper per day, the answer isn't one-size-fits-all. Cayenne pepper dosage varies based on your spice tolerance, how you're using it, and the reason you're taking it. In general, though, multiple studies suggest that a daily cayenne pepper dosage of 2 to 4 milligrams (mg) is safe.
Cayenne peppers are approved to be safe to eat. However, eating too much cayenne pepper at once can make you sick to your stomach and feel nauseous. It's best to avoid having more than 100 mg/kg of body weight for a prolonged period.
Side effects from eating cayenne pepper or taking capsaicin supplements are rare. Capsaicin topical creams are more likely to cause side effects like skin burning, itching, and irritation. Side effects of too much cayenne pepper can include:
- Stomach pain
- Burning diarrhea
- Chest pain
- Vomiting
- Headaches
If cayenne pepper gets in your eye, you may experience burning, stinging, or watering eyes. Other reported side effects include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and elevated body temperature.
Drug Interactions
Capsaicin can also interact with certain medications, including:
- Blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin) and clopidogrel (Plavix)
- Aspirin
- Stomach acid reducers such as cimetidine (Tagamet), esomeprazole (Nexium), famotidine (Pepcid), omeprazole (Prilosec), and ranitidine (Zantac)
- ACE inhibitors such as captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), and lisinopril (Zestril)
- Diabetes medications
- Theophylline
If you are taking medication for high blood pressure, such as ACE inhibitors, consult your doctor before trying capsaicin cream because the combination can cause coughing. Finally, when applying capsaicin cream to the skin, do not apply it to open wounds or stretch marks.
Contraindications
Cayenne pepper in supplement form may not be safe for everyone. Do not take cayenne pepper supplements if you:
- take medication that slows blood clotting
- have a scheduled surgery
- are pregnant or nursing
- take theophylline (Theochron, Uniphyl)
- take medication for high blood pressure
It’s also best to avoid taking cayenne pepper in large doses or for extended periods of time. It also should not be given to children.
The Master Cleanse Diet
The Master Cleanse is a diet that lasts 3 to 10 days. It consists of primarily drinking a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and water. The diet claims to detoxify your body and provide weight loss benefits. However, no scientific evidence supports detox diets like the Master Cleanse for weight loss. The Master Cleanse diet is neither safe nor sustainable. It doesn’t provide sufficient essential nutrients and may cause headaches, fatigue, and irritability. Any weight loss that may occur comes from being in a calorie deficit rather than the cayenne pepper. You’ll most likely regain the weight afterward, too.