Wellness Food 4 Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper By Health.com Editorial Team Health.com Editorial Team An article by 'Health.com Editorial Team' indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors may contribute to an article over the years. These collaborations allow Health.com editors to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available. The editors at Health.com are a dedicated team of experienced health editors, writers, and other media professionals who strive to bring trustworthy and responsible health and medical content to their readers. As a team, we have decades of experience in health journalism, and have worked at legacy publishers and some of the biggest news and media companies in the U.S. health's editorial guidelines Published on May 9, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email They say some like it hot, right? Here's good news if you love food with a kick (think: curry, salsa, or jalapeño poppers): eating spicy foods has more health benefits than you probably realize. In particular, cayenne pepper is more than just a red-hot spice that adds extra flavor to your tacos—it can also help you burn calories, ditch cold symptoms, and more. Watch this video to learn why cayenne pepper is so good for you (and then cook up a bowl of well-seasoned chili!). It helps with weight loss: Cayenne is considered a slimming spice for a reason. Studies have suggested it may help curb appetite as well as increase calorie burn during digestion. Add a dash of the hot stuff to your plate for a fast-moving metabolism. It soothes cold symptoms: Feeling stuffy? Sprinkle some cayenne in your cup of tea. It's known to help clear your nasal passages, so you feel less blocked-up during cold and flu season. Chili Pepper Study Says They Can Help You Live Longer It relieves pain: Cayenne contains capsaicin, an active plant compound that has pain-relieving properties. Capsaicin works by decreasing the intensity of pain signals sent through the body, which is one reason why it's often an ingredient in over-the-counter arthritis creams.It prevents ulcers: Some people believe spicy foods can cause ulcers, but the opposite might be true. Recent studies have suggested that capsaicin helps kill bacteria, which may have a protective effect against ulcers, the uncomfortable sores that can develop inside the stomach lining or small intestine. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit