The Health Benefits of Common Spices, Including Black Pepper, Cinnamon, and Cayenne

By Anne Clarke

Black pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper – none of these spices are new or unusual to most people. In fact, these are spices that many of us use on a regular basis, especially black pepper. But did you know that these spices also have many health benefits? Did you know that there is more reason to use these spices than to simply add flavor and spice to a meal?

Black Pepper

In America, black pepper is one of the most commonly used spices. In fact, it is not uncommon for a person to use pepper with every meal – a little on his eggs, a bit on his sandwich and salad, a lot on his steak and corn… Fortunately, as it turns out, this is a good thing. Why? Because black pepper is good for us!

Black pepper improves digestion by stimulating the taste buds and thereby alerting the stomach to increase hydrochloric secretion. Black pepper is also an antioxidant, and it has antibacterial effects. But wait – there’s more! You will be very happy to know that the outermost layer of the peppercorn actually helps stimulate the breakdown of fat cells!

Black pepper also helps prevent the formation of intestinal gas, promotes urination, and promotes sweating. It is full of manganese, and it also has a good amount of iron and dietary fiber, as well.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon also has a very healthy dose of manganese, but the health benefits of cinnamon are different than those of black pepper. Cinnamon can help eliminate and prevent the clumping of blood platelets. The scent of cinnamon can boost brain function – in other words, smelling cinnamon can improve your virtual recognition memory, working memory, and more!

Cinnamon can also help stop the growth of bacteria. Some even say that cinnamon can be used as spicy alternative to traditional food preservatives. For people with type 2 diabetes, cinnamon is wonderful – it can help them respond to insulin and thereby normalize their blood sugar levels.

Cayenne

The list of benefits from cayenne pepper seems to go on and on: it fights inflammation, prevents stomach ulcers, boosts immunity, offers pain relief, has cardiovascular benefits, and helps clear congestion. It seems that no matter your ailment, a dose of cayenne will help you out! Cayenne is also full of vitamin A.

Who knew that making your food taste good could be so good for you? So, go ahead and add a little spice to your meal. Adding a bit of spice to your life may actually help you increase your lifespan!

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, cooking, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on spices, please visit Designer Spice Racks.

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