What Are the Benefits of Cayenne Pepper for Weight Loss?

Cayenne pepper, like many natural diet supplements, has a rather dubious reputation. Some claim that adding a teaspoon of cayenne paper to your daily diet can increase your weight loss by up to 25 percent, while others remain more skeptical of its benefits. Cayenne pepper is a natural source of capsaicin, a metabolic enhancer used in many manufactured weight loss supplements. While cayenne pepper's effectiveness in weight loss may be debatable, the health benefits associated with the spice, as well as the metabolic effects, compliment a weight loss plan of exercise and a healthy, reduced-calorie diet.

Dietary Benefits

• Cayenne pepper has a thermogenic effect on the body, which means that it raises the body's natural temperature. This effect has a number of benefits for weight loss. An increased body temperature increases your metabolism, which means that your body is digesting its food more quickly and absorbing nutrients more efficiently. An elevated metabolism paired with a healthy diet promotes weight loss by efficiently transferring consumed calories into energy. An elevated metabolism can also help curb overeating habits.

Exercise Benefits

• Some claim that moments after taking a teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a glass of hot water they experience a boost of energy, which can be explained by the immediate thermogenic effect of the spice. This metabolic boost and the immediate increase of energy can promote weight loss by inspiring physical exercise, a key component of a successful weight-loss regimen. Over time, use of cayenne pepper paired with aerobic exercise can cause a continuous boost in your metabolism, which will allow for an increased intensity of exercise. As the intensity level of your exercise regimen increases, the amount of calories and fat burned increase as well.

Circulation Benefits

• Cayenne pepper also naturally promotes increased circulation in the body. Increased circulation has numerous benefits for weight loss. Blood is your body's transportation system for oxygen, which your body needs more of when you're doing cardiovascular exercises. The increased circulation created by consuming cayenne pepper can help by providing your body with the increased amount of oxygen and blood flow it needs for weight loss exercises.