It’s a new year, and for some of us that means the start of a healthier lifestyle.
The good news is you don’t necessarily have to give up the food you love the most just to be healthier. Some of your favorite foods may simply be good for you. Take, for example, cayenne pepper. Not only does it taste great and give a real boost of flavor at mealtime, but the red pepper is full of health benefits. Here are five healthy reasons to include more cayenne pepper in 2022:
Heart health
Cayenne peppers can help your heart, and we’re not just talking about your “love” for hot peppers. It turns out, the capsaicin in cayenne peppers can help with inflammation by lowering your blood pressure. It may also be that using cayenne pepper to season your food instead of salt may be a real advantage for your health.
Weight loss
Cayenne peppers may also help with your weight. When you eat something spicy it helps boost your metabolism and you burn calories. A spicy diet also makes you feel fuller, so you’re less likely to reach for extra snacks.
Digestion
You may think eating spicy foods and choosing peppers off the Scoville Scale will lead to an upset stomach and heartburn, but it turns out for many people cayenne pepper is pretty good for digestion. Eating it may actually help your stomach break down food. Cayenne peppers may also help boost good gut bacteria.
Congestion
If you feel like you have a stuffy head, you may want to try clearing up the congestion with spicy peppers. In some cases, it’s been known to help with headaches, too.
Source of antioxidants/compounds
Cayenne peppers are also great when it comes to the antioxidants and plant compounds that help promote good health. Antioxidants found in the peppers naturally can help protect our cells and potentially help protect us from diseases.