Cayenne: Spicing up your health!

What is Cayenne? It's a red hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes, and for medicinal purposes. Scientifically known as Capsicum frutuscens, cayenne prefers warm, moist, and nutrient-rich soil in a tropical climate.

Cayenne has healing powers. Its most active ingredient is capsaicin which has pain-relieving qualities. The capsaicin cream, when applied on the skin, can ease the discomfort of psoriasis, nerve pain, and arthritis. Be careful, however, not to apply topical capsaicin on cracked skin or open wound.


A professor of medicine at the University of California, claims that hot chili can help lower cholesterol and high blood pressure as well as prevent stomach ulcers. It has long been used as natural remedy for cough, colds, sinusitis, and bronchitis. It is also a natural decongestant and expectorant. Adding 10 drops of hot pepper sauce to a bowl of chicken soup can be very effective for nasal decongestion and sinusitis. A warm water gargle with 10 drops of Tabasco sauce to treat a cold and sinusitis is also recommended.

For red itchy skin due to contact with a hairy worm, applying crushed chili leaves can greatly help ease the itchiness than does a lotion with a calamine ingredient.

Besides its healing powers, cayenne is an appetite stimulant. You may be acquainted with the Red Devil Sauce, Tabasco sauce, Korean kimchee, Indonesian fiery salsa, and hot creams to mention a few. These hot stuffs are made from the small red chili. Cayenne is also a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and beta-carotene. Eating cayenne can help strengthen the immune system and protect the body from free radicals that cause cell damage.