Cayenne pepper, derived from the Capsicum annuum plant, is a fiery herb renowned for its intense heat and vibrant flavor. It contains a compound called capsaicin which is not only responsible for its spicy punch, but also numerous health benefits. Beyond its culinary uses, cayenne is highly regarded for its medicinal properties in gut health, pain relief, and even cardiometabolic disease.
In today’s episode, we turn up the heat as we delve into the fiery world of cayenne. From its origins to its culinary and medicinal uses, we’ll uncover the secrets and surprising health benefits of this spicy superstar.
Today on The Lab Report:

3:20 Why are we talking about cayenne?
4:40 Ethnobotany of cayenne
8:30 Capsaicin, the heat, and substance P
9:50 Cayenne and metabolic syndrome
11:40 GI tract effects – how counterintuitive!
15:30 Cardiovascular disease and cayenne
16:40 Headaches and pain, topical cayenne – intranasal cayenne? WHAT!
18:55 Wilbur Scoville rabbit hole re: Scoville Units
22:50 What’s in a Name?????  

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