Cayenne peppers have been cultivated for over 7,000 years, with the practice originating in South America. Believe it or not, cayenne peppers were used as a decoration first, then to add flavor and heat to foods, and, finally, cayenne started to be used as a medicine.
Those who have consumed too much cayenne at a sitting associate it more with pain and suffering than healing, but over the years great faith has been placed in its curative powers.
1) Christopher Columbus came across cayenne and other chili peppers while exploring the Caribbean Islands and brought some back to Europe.
2) Though thought to aggravate or cause ulcers, cayenne and other hot peppers are actually associated with the reduction of stomach ulcers.
3) The bright red color of cayenne peppers is a sign of high beta-carotene content. Two teaspoons of cayenne pepper provide 37% of the daily requirement for beta-carotene in an adult.
4) Because of its high beta-carotene content, cayenne pepper is one of the best antioxidant foods.
5) Cayenne helps to open and drain congested nasal passages.
6) Cayenne, along with the other kinds of hot peppers, may have anti-inflammatory properties that are useful in the treatment of disorders like arthritis.
7) Studies have shown cayenne to be useful in the treatment of pain from osteoarthritis and cluster headaches.
8) Cayenne is being studied as a treatment for psoriasis.
9) Areas of the world where cayenne and other hot peppers are heavily used in cooking report a lower rate of heart attacks, strokes, and pulmonary embolism that areas where much less cayenne is consumed.
10) Cayenne may help reduce the symptoms of asthma.
Early in its tenure in Europe, Cayenne was used as a substitute for black pepper, which was very expensive because it had to be imported from Asia. Despite the “burn” from cayenne, few people are allergic to it and toxic effects, other than pain, are not significant.
In recent years it has been discovered that cayenne, in addition to the other red chili peppers, can be administered to lower the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and platelet aggregation in the blood. At the same time, cayenne enhances the body’s ability to dissolve fibrin, which is part of the material that makes blood clots.
Cayenne can be consumed either in its fresh form, dried, or powdered. There are no daily requirements for cayenne, so using cayenne as a supplement is usually a matter of personal judgement.
Copyright © Dennis Becker, 2004.
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