Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is a hot chili pepper of the species Capsicum annuum, typically dried and ground into a bright red powder used as a spice, named after the city of Cayenne in French Guiana. It is significantly hotter than paprika or common bell peppers, owing to its capsaicin content, and is used across many cuisines to add heat to sauces, soups, meats and spice blends, most notably as a base ingredient in hot sauces such as Louisiana-style pepper sauces. Beyond flavoring food, cayenne pepper is also sold as a dietary supplement, marketed for its purported metabolic and circulatory effects.