1. It Provides Antioxidants
Cayenne pepper — and other brightly colored produce — is rich in antioxidants, which are natural plant compounds that help fight off damage to our cells, according to a review published in July 2016 in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.
Regularly drinking beverages and eating foods that are high in antioxidants reduces your risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancers, according to Cleveland Clinic.
2. It May Quell Your Appetite
Cayenne pepper can act as an appetite suppressant, reducing hunger so you eat less and feel full for longer. A review in Biologia Futura found that capsaicin and pepper extract can reduce the sensation of hunger, which may help ward off overeating.
3. It May Support Weight Loss
Cayenne pepper water is often touted as a drink for fast weight loss. And while there is some evidence linking capsaicin and fat breakdown, it’s not exactly a quick fix.
After reviewing 15 randomized controlled trials, a meta-analysis in The British Journal of Nutrition reported that supplementing with capsaicin resulted in modest success in reducing weight, waist circumference, and BMI in those who were overweight or had obesity.
That said, exactly how much cayenne pepper water you’d need to drink to have a positive effect isn’t clear, and you’d also need to make changes to your overall diet, according to Cleveland Clinic. Plus, there are healthier, more sustainable ways to lose weight.
4. It Might Improve Digestion
Cayenne pepper may help improve your digestive health. The paper in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition also concluded that cayenne pepper is a powerful gastrointestinal stimulant that can increase your digestive tract’s ability to receive and process micronutrients. The capsaicin in cayenne also boosts gastric blood flow.
A review in the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine noted other GI benefits of capsaicin, including stimulation of digestion. But the researchers emphasized that more research is needed to determine the right dosage of cayenne to provide these benefits in general, let alone in cayenne water form.
5. It May Protect Your Heart
Cayenne pepper water may have cardiovascular perks, as it can help dilate blood vessels. This makes blood flow more freely, boosting circulation.
Animal studies, such as research published in June 2015 in Open Heart, suggest this blood vessel dilation may discourage plaque formation that can lead to clogged arteries. But it’s not clear yet how these results translate to humans and how much cayenne pepper water you’d need to drink to get the benefits.
6. It Possibly Reduces Pain
When applied directly to the skin, capsaicin creams can decrease pain for people with arthritis and muscle injuries, according to Mayo Clinic. But research has not been conducted on drinking cayenne pepper water for similar benefits. Even though some people tout pain relief as a benefit of pepper water, there are no studies that support this.