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What is Cayenne Pepper Tea?
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Cayenne pepper tea is a hot beverage made by mixing cayenne pepper into boiling water. Sometimes people add lemon or blackstrap molasses to the drink. These two ingredients, when mixed with cayenne pepper and cold water, make up the recipe for a very common lemonade fast. In this sense, the "tea" — which is really a tisane, since it does not contain tea leaves — can be consumed as a hot version of the fasting drink.
Many people find that drinking cayenne pepper tea gives them a boost of energy. For this reason, it is often consumed in the morning. The drink is believed to have a number of health benefits, and it has been reported to help treat ulcers and even fight cancer. The drink can clear the sinuses and is also believed to be good for the heart.
Some herbalists also report that cayenne pepper tea can help to boost the metabolism, increase blood flow to ailing organs, and help to cure the common cold. Most of the health benefits are believed to correlate directly to the pepper's ability to promote blood flow within the body. Some herbalists believe that cayenne pepper is one of the most important herbs of all when it comes to herbal healing.
One thing that makes this drink different from almost all other teas is the fact that it is spicy. The level of spiciness simply has to do with the ratio of pepper to water. For some people who drink the tea on a daily basis, as much as 1 teaspoon (1.8 g) of cayenne pepper may be added to a mug of hot water. This amount of cayenne pepper may be way too much for people who are just beginning to incorporate the tea into their diet. For people who are just beginning, it is probably best to start with 1/8 of a teaspoon (0.22 g) and work up from that.
It is possible to benefit from the healing properties of cayenne by taking the pepper as a capsule. Many herbalists believe, however, that the best way to ingest and absorb herbs is to drink them as a warm tea. While a tea does not protect the taste buds as a capsule does, some people drink it for the increased health benefits. Some people even come to enjoy the taste after drinking it over a period of time.
Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
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Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
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![Dried cayenne peppers.]()
Dried cayenne peppers. -
![Blackstrap molasses, which is sometimes added to cayenne pepper tea.]()
By: KentonBlackstrap molasses, which is sometimes added to cayenne pepper tea. -
![A cayenne pepper.]()
By: artjazzA cayenne pepper. -
![Cayenne pepper is thought to help boost energy, improve circulation and heart health, clear congestion in the sinuses and treat stomach ulcers.]()
By: tanjichicaCayenne pepper is thought to help boost energy, improve circulation and heart health, clear congestion in the sinuses and treat stomach ulcers. -
![Cayenne pepper tea has been reported to treat ulcers.]()
By: p6m5Cayenne pepper tea has been reported to treat ulcers.
Discussion Comments
@Alisha: Cayenne is not a herb. It's the result of drying and grinding hot chili peppers into powder.
Every morning I have an infusion of one cup hot water with 1 tablespoon black strap molasses and 20 drops of cayenne pepper extract (10,000 HU), which I use to replace coffee. In fact, it tastes a lot like coffee but way spicier.
I'm not sure what good it does overall. For instance, I caught a very nasty cold and even with the cayenne/molasses tea, it still took me over two weeks to recover. However, it does give me a boost of energy in the morning that is much better than any boost I get from the coffee. Funny thing, I didn't even know this mixture was a detox tea until I came across this website. I simply felt it was a good way to incorporate my molasses (which is high in trace minerals - especially copper) and cayenne (which I've always known to be a good way to clear the sinuses and get the blood flowing) into a single beverage.
I know that cayenne pepper herb thins the blood. But I've also heard that cayenne pepper tea can help prevent heart attacks. Is this true?
@burcidi-- It might be difficult to get used to cayenne pepper tea at first, but it has so many benefits, it's worth it.
Cayenne pepper is an amazing herb (and yes it's a herb). I have a friend who has supported his cancer treatment with cayenne pepper tea and capsules and says that it has mad a lot of difference for him. Cayenne pepper strengthens the immune system and is beneficial for the function of organs in general.
If you can't have it straight up as tea, you can try making a smoothie with fruits and vegetables.
I have never heard of cayenne pepper tea before. Isn't cayenne a spice? I can't believe that cayenne pepper is good for the stomach, I thought it was just the opposite.
I have heard of the role of cayenne pepper supplements in boosting metabolism so I'm sure that this tea works for that, especially when used in the morning.
I don't think I could chug a hot cup of cayenne in the morning though. I'm getting upset stomach just thinking about it.
I have read not to boil the water for the tea because it destroys the properties of the cayenne?
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