Ground cayenne pepper is eight times hotter than chili powder. Many people consider cayenne peppers to be the king of medicinal herbs. In fact, these peppers have been used for thousands of years to help treat many health problems. Not only do they have medicinal properties, but cayenne peppers are also great for cooking and contain several beneficial nutrients. Capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne peppers, is what gives them their medicinal properties.It also gives them their hot taste. In fact, how hot a cayenne pepper is depends on its capsaicin content. The more capsaicin it contains, the hotter it is. Capsaicin in red chilli powder is known to increase fat burning and reduce appetite. It reduces food cravings and increases metabolism, both beneficial for weight loss. Capsaicin is also thermogenic.