The documented health benefits from hot peppers continues to grow at a break-neck speed, similar to the increasing popularity of consuming hot foods in various forms. The heat and health benefits comes from a chemical called capsaicin.
Historically, spicy additions to food helped prevent spoilage in warm climates before the invention of refrigeration. Capsaicin’s anti-microbial properties inhibit as much as 75% of bacteria growth. People from cultures who lived and survived due to the use of various spices passed down to the next of kin spicy recipes and taste buds desiring extra zing in food.
Adding hot peppers, hot sauces and hot powders to food continues to protect us from food poisoning even though we now refrigerate food. To maximize these health benefits, eating the hottest pepper would magnify these effects.
Below are 10 health benefits of hot peppers.
1. Benefits the Digestive Tract
This may sound counter-intuitive, but the capsaicin in peppers actually act as an anti-irritant. People with ulcers have been told for years to avoid hot spicy foods, but research has revealed that peppers are beneficial to ulcers.
For example, pepper powder provides trace amounts of anti-oxidants and other chemicals to aid digestive issues such as, healing an upset stomach, reducing intestinal gas, curing diarrhea and acting as a natural remedy for cramps.
It does this by reducing the acidity in the digestive tract that causes ulcers. It also helps produce saliva and stimulates gastric juices aiding digestion.
2. Promotes a Healthy Heart
It also aids the circulatory system and prevents heart disease by lowering blood serum cholesterol and reduces lipid deposits, and therefore, reverses excessive blood clotting. It also dilates the blood vessels to aid in blood flow.
3. Mitigates Migraines
Have you ever had a pain on a body part that was your sole focus until you had another pain that was even worse? The original pain simply disappeared when your brain focused on the new injury.
This phenomenon is what happens to a migraine when you consume hot peppers. Your body becomes desensitized to the migraine and the overall sensation of pain is lessened.
4. Relieves Joint Pain
Due to the powerful pain-relieving properties of the capsaicin from peppers, it can be applied to the skin to reduce the chemical P, the ingredient that carries pain messages to the brain.
Ultimately, the pain receptors exhaust themselves by depleting the body’s reserves. Once this happens, the capsaicin acts as a pain reliever. It is used effectively for shingles, HIV neuropathy and other types of pain.
Spicy peppers revs up the metabolic rate by generating the thermogenic processes in our body that generates heat.
That process utilizes energy, and thereby, burns additional calores. In addition, if hot peppers are consumed at breakfast, the appetite is suppressed the rest of the day which ultimately helps in weight loss.
It may even alter proteins in your body to combat fat accumulation.
Capsaicin also has been studied as a holistic method to for weight loss. It will selectively destroy nerve fibers that send messages from the stomach to the brain.
6. Quells Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an itchy skin condition resulting in ugly skin patches. Capsaicin cream will significantly reduce the number of cells to replicating and aids in the reversal of the auto-immune skin lesions.
7. Reduces Cancer Risk
Since tne capsaicin in pepper flesh has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it is being studied as a cancer-fighter. It reduces the growth of prostate cancer cells, while leaving normal cells unharmed.
Research also shows consumption of large quantities of peppers effective against breast, pancreatic and bladder cancers. (8 large habaneros per week)
8. Fights the Flu, Colds and Fungal Infections
Hot peppers are chock-full of beta carotene and antioxidants that support your immune system and will aid in fighting off colds and the flu.
Research has found that nasal sprays containing capsaicin reduce congestion. Increased body temperature from the ingestion of hot peppers triggers the immune system into action in fighting the norovirus (cold), flu viruses.
Consumption of peppers fights against 16 fungal strains by reducing fungal pathogens.
9. Prevents Bad Breath
To keep your significant other attracted to you, eating hot pepper powder acts as a disinfectant to the air you breathe out by improving the odor of your breath.
10. Prevents Allergies
Due to the anti-inflammatory benefits of capsaicin, hot peppers can help prevent allergies and symptoms from allergies.
Learn something? Share these Hot Pepper Health Benefits
106 thoughts on “10 Amazing Health Benefits to Eating Hot Peppers [Scientifically Proven]”
Stacie S says:
I take powdered cayenne in capsules. Dr schultz carries powder and liquid. The active ingredient is known to prevent strokes and stop a heart attack if taken soon enough of course. I went through a period of time with heart palpation and after having taken cayenne capsules (sometimes 3 or more at a time) the palpations stopped. Liver cleanse expert Andreas Moritz recommends cayenne pepper for the blood. I would think that any powered hot peppers would do the same such as what is sold here (just put in capsules form).
I never knew eating hot peppers had so many health benefits, I’ve been enjoying super hot peppers my whole life, with my friends and family telling me it would burn a hole in my stomach, at 51, I’m in great shape and have never been over weight.
Gotta work your way up. I’ve been eating spicy stuff my whole life. It’s not something you want to jump right into but 10% of the population has almost a natural immunity to oleoresin capsicum (OC) or the active ingredient in pepper spray. You learn in law enforcement that pepper spray isnt always effective if it needs to be deployed. You also have to have it used on you before you can carry it and I can tell you on me it is QUITE effective, lol. I was hit with 500k Scoville units. We carried 2 million which is just above the hottest pepper in the world and a company Fox once made 15 million Scoville Heat Unit spray until it was discontinued back in the early 2000s… I cant imagine any situation where deploying something that can melt weave (fake hair) off your head is necessary which was one of the claims of a person I knew who’d tested it. Anyway, start with some jalapeno which can run from 500 or milder all the way up to 15,000 SHU. The Carolina Reaper for instance which is the hottest pepper on earth runs around 1,400,000 SHU yes that’s million and it is a killer I can assure you. I love growing peppers but that one ill never touch.
I believe its because you’re not use to it or your body had not gotten use to it. Your stomach is running because your system is being flush and clean. Eat more pepper and it gets better.
Pamela says:
Small amounts to start don’t eat a habanero and think you won’t have an upset stomach.
Jhennie says:
We really like spicy food. I really thought it is not safe if you have an acidic stomach..
I have been taking skinned hot pepper for almost one week it feels me nice and good condition of my health. To be honest I am well convinced that hot pepper is one of the alternative herbal meds for health. I am addressing this for those who could not afford to buy their mentainance like me. Believe that hot peppers can cure all our illnesses who aging person. Thank you and God Bless us all
I truly believe about all these health benefits as me myself have been eating and loves peppers and thankfully I’m not having serious illness ever since. Actually, I experienced being ill once but that was because of some bad habits I did before.
Wow, great. I had always argued with a friend on the benefits of pepper. She usually said it has no benefit, but I always kicked against because I strongly believe it must be beneficial. Today, I found out the benefits and it’s really amazing.
I have been eating one habanero pepper along with non-dairy yogurt for almost a month now. I have seen a big difference in energy level, for the better. Have had less problems with acid reflux, and my whole digestive system is firing on all cylinders, feels great so far. Still pretty hot to eat, but the non-dairy yogurt helps with that!
I’m 70yrs young, I have been eating hot Thai peppers which I grow for over 20yrs I eat them with all meals and carry a shaker of ground peppers in my purse for dining out, I play tennis ride bicycle everyday and walk 6 miles 3 days a week, my blood pressure is great and cholesterol so they do help with keep your body well. Never to late to start eating them. Makes food delicious.
I enjoy eating a pepper extract called the SOURCE which is rated on the Scofield heat chart index at 7.1 million heat units. I cut my regular Hot Sauce with the extract. This is not for everybody but I enjoy it especially on a cold winters night.
Previously i was not a fan of eating hot pepper but of recent am the first fan of eating hot pepper almost every meal i eat must have some hot pepper, i really enjoy eating hot pepper now.
Hi! I’m 56. Today is my 2nd day to include cayenne in my diet. I mix 6 finely chopped red cayenne with 2 raw eggs and drink it straight. The immediate benefit i have been experiencing is cessation of my palpitation, normalisation of my blood pressure, and over-all sense of wellness. I feel light and energetic. Coupled with increased water (with salt) intake, my chronic lower back pain is now gone too.
I am an 89 years old “very healthy old fart”…I consume a whole head of garlic mixed with about five or more very hot peppers and fresh tomatoes salsa…I have discontinued my very dear “prime rib and pork”….cook my salsa with sea food and top it with fresh fruits and vegetables convined with a selected dose of vitamins and walk about five miles every day …recently began to have some early morning very dizzy spells which required to clean my ears solution…yes! Hot Peppers are just plain marvelous !!!
I have been eating spicy food since i was 9, people are surprised at how i eat spicy at all meals. Sauces, peppers, powders etc. I even learned a few desired recepes and have built them to my taste. I hardly ever get sick, my metabolism is amazing, and when i do catch the once or maybe twice a year occasional cold, it is very mild and is gone in a few days. I strongly recommend spicy food. It might be damaging in excess although i myself have not experienced this, i would suggest that jalapeños are the more internal damaging pepper even though there are spicier ones. My all time favorite for its unique and give away taste is the habanero
Born to Hungarian parents, I grew up on a Hungarian diet, in which hot and mild peppers are very present, as are the allium and nightshade families of vegetable, and, of course, sour cream and all other milk products. In my late sixties, I was declared intolerant of all the former, and of gluten and tree nuts, because of my very nasty shortness of breath, itchy skin lesions and weight gain, and bloating and flatulence. Four years later, I came upon a deliciously hot Ceylon fish dish with a sweet chili sauce. That sent me running home to my darling Mum’s recipes. I still leave glutenous foods alone, and go easy on nuts and all milk products except sour cream. But do I adore my hot chili! It gets pared with love into my re-found gulyas soup, porkolt, paprika chicken, rakott krumpli, etc. Slim again and dressing to the nines, I pass easily for a woman in her fifties. (No kidding.) Ah, hot chili mon amour! Szeretlek.
Just survived my first bite of a Carolina reaper. Wow…damn near a religious experience! I’m 56, with Mexican blood in my veins, and have been a pepper head for almost all my adult life. I can tell you that I’ve been a ‘minor leaguer’ in this pepper experience until a few moments ago. As Nietzsche quipped, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”
The wife and I are attempting to preserve them by grinding them up in a blender with some avocado oil and salt. I used a few dabs of this evil concoction on a fried egg, and the taste was simply sublime.
I take powdered cayenne in capsules. Dr schultz carries powder and liquid. The active ingredient is known to prevent strokes and stop a heart attack if taken soon enough of course. I went through a period of time with heart palpation and after having taken cayenne capsules (sometimes 3 or more at a time) the palpations stopped. Liver cleanse expert Andreas Moritz recommends cayenne pepper for the blood. I would think that any powered hot peppers would do the same such as what is sold here (just put in capsules form).
Ive been eating hot peppers for 70yrs I’m 83 play golf 3 times a week don’t take any medication fell like 53 so I think it works
I never knew eating hot peppers had so many health benefits, I’ve been enjoying super hot peppers my whole life, with my friends and family telling me it would burn a hole in my stomach, at 51, I’m in great shape and have never been over weight.
Wow…. This is unbelievable,… Many said pepper doesn’t have any use.
1.Why is it that when I ate pepper I will be purging all the day?
2. When ever my friend ate pepper he do complaints of hot belly.
Thanks.
Gotta work your way up. I’ve been eating spicy stuff my whole life. It’s not something you want to jump right into but 10% of the population has almost a natural immunity to oleoresin capsicum (OC) or the active ingredient in pepper spray. You learn in law enforcement that pepper spray isnt always effective if it needs to be deployed. You also have to have it used on you before you can carry it and I can tell you on me it is QUITE effective, lol. I was hit with 500k Scoville units. We carried 2 million which is just above the hottest pepper in the world and a company Fox once made 15 million Scoville Heat Unit spray until it was discontinued back in the early 2000s… I cant imagine any situation where deploying something that can melt weave (fake hair) off your head is necessary which was one of the claims of a person I knew who’d tested it. Anyway, start with some jalapeno which can run from 500 or milder all the way up to 15,000 SHU. The Carolina Reaper for instance which is the hottest pepper on earth runs around 1,400,000 SHU yes that’s million and it is a killer I can assure you. I love growing peppers but that one ill never touch.
why is it that whenever i eat hot pepper, i experience stomach problem followed by diarrhoe immediately?
I believe its because you’re not use to it or your body had not gotten use to it. Your stomach is running because your system is being flush and clean. Eat more pepper and it gets better.
Small amounts to start don’t eat a habanero and think you won’t have an upset stomach.
We really like spicy food. I really thought it is not safe if you have an acidic stomach..
I have been taking skinned hot pepper for almost one week it feels me nice and good condition of my health. To be honest I am well convinced that hot pepper is one of the alternative herbal meds for health. I am addressing this for those who could not afford to buy their mentainance like me. Believe that hot peppers can cure all our illnesses who aging person. Thank you and God Bless us all
The spice in is a great idea, especially given these additional health benefits. Any recommendations on how to relieve it’s work on the way out?
J.Dean…try some vasoline… It works for me when I eat a whole bottle of Hot Yellow Chili Peppers. Use the vasoline before it reaches the end. LOL
great info. eating pieces of the california reaper today. 🙂
*Carolina Reaper
i am impressed i love pepper but the extreme hot pepper i can not handle
I truly believe about all these health benefits as me myself have been eating and loves peppers and thankfully I’m not having serious illness ever since. Actually, I experienced being ill once but that was because of some bad habits I did before.
Wow, great. I had always argued with a friend on the benefits of pepper. She usually said it has no benefit, but I always kicked against because I strongly believe it must be beneficial. Today, I found out the benefits and it’s really amazing.
Hot pepper is the best it has really help me with circulation of blood cell especially when the blood circulation is down
I have been eating one habanero pepper along with non-dairy yogurt for almost a month now. I have seen a big difference in energy level, for the better. Have had less problems with acid reflux, and my whole digestive system is firing on all cylinders, feels great so far. Still pretty hot to eat, but the non-dairy yogurt helps with that!
I’m 70yrs young, I have been eating hot Thai peppers which I grow for over 20yrs I eat them with all meals and carry a shaker of ground peppers in my purse for dining out, I play tennis ride bicycle everyday and walk 6 miles 3 days a week, my blood pressure is great and cholesterol so they do help with keep your body well. Never to late to start eating them. Makes food delicious.
I enjoy eating a pepper extract called the SOURCE which is rated on the Scofield heat chart index at 7.1 million heat units. I cut my regular Hot Sauce with the extract. This is not for everybody but I enjoy it especially on a cold winters night.
Previously i was not a fan of eating hot pepper but of recent am the first fan of eating hot pepper almost every meal i eat must have some hot pepper, i really enjoy eating hot pepper now.
Hi! I’m 56. Today is my 2nd day to include cayenne in my diet. I mix 6 finely chopped red cayenne with 2 raw eggs and drink it straight. The immediate benefit i have been experiencing is cessation of my palpitation, normalisation of my blood pressure, and over-all sense of wellness. I feel light and energetic. Coupled with increased water (with salt) intake, my chronic lower back pain is now gone too.
Indeed, food (healthy food) is the best medicine!
I love your company great products and info
The heath benefits mention here are amazing. Great read on the health benefits of eating peppers.
I am an 89 years old “very healthy old fart”…I consume a whole head of garlic mixed with about five or more very hot peppers and fresh tomatoes salsa…I have discontinued my very dear “prime rib and pork”….cook my salsa with sea food and top it with fresh fruits and vegetables convined with a selected dose of vitamins and walk about five miles every day …recently began to have some early morning very dizzy spells which required to clean my ears solution…yes! Hot Peppers are just plain marvelous !!!
I have been eating spicy food since i was 9, people are surprised at how i eat spicy at all meals. Sauces, peppers, powders etc. I even learned a few desired recepes and have built them to my taste. I hardly ever get sick, my metabolism is amazing, and when i do catch the once or maybe twice a year occasional cold, it is very mild and is gone in a few days. I strongly recommend spicy food. It might be damaging in excess although i myself have not experienced this, i would suggest that jalapeños are the more internal damaging pepper even though there are spicier ones. My all time favorite for its unique and give away taste is the habanero
I bought seeds from Pepperhead last year, and boy did I have an amazing crop, still producing pods in late October 2019. Top notch quality
Born to Hungarian parents, I grew up on a Hungarian diet, in which hot and mild peppers are very present, as are the allium and nightshade families of vegetable, and, of course, sour cream and all other milk products. In my late sixties, I was declared intolerant of all the former, and of gluten and tree nuts, because of my very nasty shortness of breath, itchy skin lesions and weight gain, and bloating and flatulence. Four years later, I came upon a deliciously hot Ceylon fish dish with a sweet chili sauce. That sent me running home to my darling Mum’s recipes. I still leave glutenous foods alone, and go easy on nuts and all milk products except sour cream. But do I adore my hot chili! It gets pared with love into my re-found gulyas soup, porkolt, paprika chicken, rakott krumpli, etc. Slim again and dressing to the nines, I pass easily for a woman in her fifties. (No kidding.) Ah, hot chili mon amour! Szeretlek.
Just survived my first bite of a Carolina reaper. Wow…damn near a religious experience! I’m 56, with Mexican blood in my veins, and have been a pepper head for almost all my adult life. I can tell you that I’ve been a ‘minor leaguer’ in this pepper experience until a few moments ago. As Nietzsche quipped, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”
The wife and I are attempting to preserve them by grinding them up in a blender with some avocado oil and salt. I used a few dabs of this evil concoction on a fried egg, and the taste was simply sublime.
I love the part where pepper helps in weight reduction