Have you heard of the cayenne pepper and water diet? Controversy has recently surrounded the so-called cayenne pepper and water diet, primarily due to it’s association with Beyonce Knowles who apparently lost 20 pounds during filming for the movie “Dreamgirls” living only on cayenne pepper and water. The facts are not in dispute, the actress did apparently lose weight quickly over a short period and there is no reason to dispute how this was achieved.
However the question that must be asked is can this be called a “diet”? Some would say that what Beyonce Knowles did was simply starve herself of food, surviving solely on liquids. Surely the cayenne pepper had no noticeable effects other than perhaps adding a little taste to the water?
It should perhaps be noted that there are certainly recorded health benefits associated with cayenne pepper, including aiding digestion, strengthening of the heart, claims it contains mild pain relieving qualities, and there are even reports of using cayenne as a dressing for wounds.
Even taking these reported benefits into account, can this cayenne pepper and water diet really be called a diet? It...