Cayenne peppers are more than just a spice for your food; they can do wonders for your heart. The secret is capsaicin, the compound responsible for the heat in peppers like jalapeno, serrano, habanero, cherry, fresno, and thai peppers.

Capsaicin, which is higher in cayennes than in jalapenos, can improve heart health by helping blood flow, lowering pressure, and stimulating the release of vasodilators like nitric oxide. The compound can also boost your metabolism by accelerating energy expenditure. I notice that spicy foods prevent overeating and reduce appetite. If you still aren’t convinced to add more spice to your food, capsaicin also triggers the release of endorphins to make you feel happier.

Capsaicin is highly thermostable, so it won’t break down when added during cooking or to hot meals. However, it is steam-volatile, which every cook has experienced at least once. Just think back to the air getting spicy when cooking your favorite thai dish! You can grow cayennes, add them to your dishes, and take them in tinctures. I grow and offer heirloom long red cayenne pepper seeds and use cayenne pepper in my joint, heart, and metabolic health tinctures.