Cayenne: The Super Food!

Building a Healthy Terrain, one Super Food at a Time

Cayenne red pepper originates from South America and is either named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana or is a corruption of the word Kyynha, meaning capsicum in the old Tupi language once spoken in Brazil. Originally from lush rainforests, cayenne pepper is a type of Capsicum, which means it is not a type of pepper like you might think of ground BLACK pepper.

Instead, it is of the same family as bell peppers, jalapenos, or pimientos.

This is why, for those with digestive issues or ulcers, where you cannot use black pepper, you actually CAN use cayenne to spice your food.

In fact, cayenne is healing and will actually assist with the healing of ulcers and other stomach upsets. So, if you can't have black pepper, you now have a healthy substitute!

Cayenne is what I would consider a Super Food and here's why:

First, Cayenne boosts your metabolism and increases your calorie burn!

In fact, a little remedy I've been using the last few weeks is a combination of about

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper,
1/4 tsp ground ginger,
1 Tbs honey,
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar, and
2 Tbs of water

I blend it really well with our milk frother. These can be purchased on Amazon pretty inexpensively.

Now, this doesn't necessarily taste good, but it kickstarts your metabolism for the day!

The second great benefit of Cayenne is that it aids digestion by stimulating the enzymes that break down food. Energizing these enzymes also means your body is able to better absorb the nutrients you ingest for the day! That's why Cayenne is a great little number to add to either your dinner or lunch meal each day.

Third, Cayenne improves circulation. In fact, for those with poor circulation or neuropathy, a cayenne compress is an excellent, natural way to improve circulation.

I got this from Barbara O'Neill, and it works! Due to some heart issues I developed over the past 5 years, my feet and ankles sometimes go completely numb.

That, of course, makes them very cold and can actually cause me to stumble because my feet aren't quite moving like they should.

One quick remedy that helps to bring back the circulation is taking a rag or several paper towels, pouring olive oil on it, and sprinkling a small bit of cayenne across it. I then heat it slightly in the microwave.

Then, I place it on the soles of my feet, wrap my feet in plastic to keep the oil from getting everywhere, and then I put on socks.

Honestly, within 30 minutes or less, the cayenne warms my body and increases circulation to the area. The numbness goes away and, usually, I'm having a bit of a hot flash from the increased circulation!

Once your feet are no longer numb, you can just rinse off your feet and go about your business!

What is interesting is, you'd think such a spicy herb would burn your skin but cayenne does not. Believe it or not, putting fresh garlic on your feet would burn your skin--but not onion or cayenne!

So, Cayenne is great for your circulation, and that's applying it topically or taking it internally.

Internally, Cayenne widens the blood vessels, allow blood to flow more easily. For this reason, it is an excellent remedy for migraines.

Fourth, Cayenne is an excellent source of antioxidants. As we all know, these fight free radicals and help our skin not to age as quickly.

Fifth, Cayenne can actually prevent allergies by lessening inflammation in the sinuses. Also, it is healing to the body tissues, which can assist with a sore throat or sore nasal passages.

The list just goes on and on. According to the NIH, several double-blind studies have

shown that cayenne may assist with cancer prevention, and even improve the effects of psoriasis!

Like I've said before, there is a marked difference in how the body responds to disease based on the diet of the person.

Eating healthy and incorporating super foods like Cayenne builds a healthy terrain in your body, enabling your immune system to function at optimum level. The difference between a serious virus or illness putting you in the hospital or being merely an annoyance REALLY DOES come down to the care you've taken with your body the rest of the time!

It matters what you eat.

Cayenne is definitely one of those herbs that needs to be added everywhere possible within our diets. While it is indeed spicy, even a small amount can make a difference!

Check out these recipes to explore how you can include Cayenne in your diet!

Taco Soup