Which Hot Peppers Speed Up Your Metabolism?

Hot peppers, or chili peppers are found in the cuisine of many cultures. From spicy Mexican to smoldering Indian, Thai and Szechuan, chili peppers add heat to the food of the world. The health benefits of hot peppers are many, but of interest to most is their ability to increase metabolism after consumption---helping with weight loss. The main metabolism booster in hot peppers in a substance called Capsaicin and most hot peppers contain this substance. Capsaicin is also the substance responsible for the heat of hot peppers.

Cayenne Peppers

• Cayenne peppers are long and thin, often being green or red. Cayenne peppers are the peppers that common ground chili is made from---making them one of the most widely used peppers in the world. According to Healing Daily, cayenne peppers provide numerous health benefits besides speeding up the metabolism. Cayenne pepper is often used to treat digestive ailments, as it increase saliva and digestive uses. Using cayenne pepper to aid metabolism has to be done slowly, so that your body adjusts to it---most people who use cayenne for this purpose put about and 1/8 of a teaspoon in juice or lemon water to start with and work their way up---usually no more than a teaspoon a day is consumed.

Jalapeño Peppers

• Jalapeno peppers are short, thick peppers that are widely used around the world. They come in various heat ranges, and are used in Mexican cooking, and are eaten alongside Middle Easter cuisine. According to Jalapeno Madness, these chili peppers have thermogenic properties---which means they make the body produce heat. This thermogenic process is the reason chili peppers are so efficient at speeding up the metabolism and helping to loose weight. Jalapenos are also good for helping inflammation and headaches. Due to their high concentration of vitamin C and A, they help to strengthen blood vessels and improve blood flow.

Habanero Peppers

• Habanero peppers are one of the hottest chili peppers on earth. They are around 70 times hotter than the hottest Jalapeno, so they must be consumed with the utmost caution. The habanero also contains the the highest amount of capsaicin of all the chili peppers, and as such as the highest metabolic boosting ability. This is only compromised by the fact that it is difficult to take habanero peppers because of the intensity of their heat.

Paprika Chili Pepper

• Paprika chili peppers are dried, ground and made into the common spice paprika. According to Chili Pepper Madness (see ref.1) paprika comes in sweet, mild forms as well as hot varieties and is most commonly found in Hungarian cooking. Paprika contains capsaicin and helps to boost metabolism through the thermogenic properties of capsaicin.