Pops Ingredient #7: Cayenne

Here's #7 of 77 Ingredients in the Pops (77 in both Green and Purple combined)

Cayenne pepper is named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana. It consists primarily of the capsaicinoid Capsaicin, which is derived from the seeds and pods of a pepper related to bell peppers and jalapenos.

“Cayenne lowers blood pressure, blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL/HDL ratio, while strengthening the heart. It reduces blood clots, dilates capillaries, has anti-inflammatory properties, and is a great pain reliever.” (Willard, 2004, p1)

Adding Cayenne to your diet may also enhance your metabolism (Lass, 2008, p2), helping you burn more calories and fat. Another reason it may promote weight loss is its capacity to stimulate thermogenesis, the generation of heat. Cayenne can speed up the rate at which energy is released, so that less of the fat you consume is stored (Shan, 2008, p3).

This ingredient can be found in Pop A Purple. See here.

References

1. Lass J. Add some to lose some. Alive: Canadian Journal of Health & Nutrition [serial online]. April 2008;306:118-119. Available from: Alt HealthWatch, Ipswich, MA. Accessed May 15, 2009.
2. Shan Y. Tackling the obesity crisis in the UK. Primary Health Care [serial online]. October 2008;18(8):25-30. Available from: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed May 15, 2009.
3. Willard T. Herb profile: Cayenne. Alive: Canadian Journal of Health & Nutrition [serial online]. June 2004;260:114-115. Available from: Alt HealthWatch, Ipswich, MA. Accessed May 15, 2009.