21 benefits of capers for skin, hair and health

Benefits of capers include antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, constipation relief, good for people with diabetes, improves digestion, promotes the growth of healthy hair, moisturizes the skin and makes skin healthy and glowing. Capers are full of essential nutrients that are really healthy.

What are capers?

I am going on speaking about the health benefits of capers. But, do you know what are capers? Many people are not aware of capers. Capers are the edible flower buds of the plant called caper bush or Flinders rose. [1] The fruits of capers bush are called caper berries.

The scientific name of caper bush is Capparis spinosa. It belongs to the family capparaceae. Capers bush in found in the Mediterranean regions, Certain parts of Africa like East Africa, Certain countries in Asia and also in certain regions of Australia.

Capers are generally pickled and consumed. It is an important part of Mediterranean cuisine like Italian, Maltese cuisines. Capers are dark olive green in color and are about the size of a fresh corn kernel. Capers are used in tartar sauce, in Salmon dishes, etc.

benefits of capers

Capers nutrition facts:

Capers are highly nutritious and they contain many vitamins and minerals. 100 grams of capers contain 3 g of dietary fiber which promotes digestion. They contain 2 g of proteins which are the building blocks of the body.

They are rich in vitamins like vitamin B1 or thiamine (0.018 mg), Vitamin B2 or riboflavin (0.139 mg), vitamin B3 or niacin (0.652 mg), vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid (0.027 mg) vitamin B6 or pyridoxine (0.023 mg)vitamin B6 or folic acid or folate (23 µg), vitamin C or ascorbic acid ( 4 mg), vitamin E or alpha-tocopherol (0.88 mg), vitamin K or phylloquinone ( 24.6 µg)

Capers are also rich in vital minerals like calcium, iron, and sodium. 100 grams of capers contain about 40 mg of calcium, 1.7 mg of iron and 2960 mg of sodium. They are also rich in water content which maintains adequate hydration of the body. They also contain selenium, flavonoids, quercetin, kaempferol and anthocyanins which have proven health benefits.

Benefits of capers for skin, hair, and health:

1. Anti-inflammatory properties:

Capparis spinosa or capers extracts have shown to possess powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Compounds like catechin, caffeic acid, syringic acid, rutin and ferulic acid that are found in capers help in reducing inflammation by controlling the expression of genes regulating cytokines which are immunomodulatory substances. [2]

Inflammation is the main reason behind the development of swelling of any body part. So, the anti-inflammatory properties of capers help in controlling the symptoms of arthritis, sinusitis and many other inflammatory disorders in the body.

2. Powerful antioxidant:


According to certain studies, capers extracts have shown to control the regulation of certain antioxidant enzymes in the body like catalase and SOD. Capers contain many polyphenols like flavonoids and anthocyanins which have antioxidant effects. [3]

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Capers also contain good levels of vitamin C which is a very good antioxidant. [4] They also have many carotenoids like beta-carotene, lutein, and neoxanthin which also possess antioxidant properties. [5] Even the vitamin E in capers is an antioxidant vitamin.

Antioxidants are absolutely necessary for the body. They scavenge the harmful free radicals and protect us from innumerable diseases. Free radicals can damage any part of our body like skin, heart, and brain.

They lead to heart attacks, neurodegeneration, and premature aging. Free radicals are also implicated in causing cancers. So, antioxidants in capers help in preventing all these ailments and making us healthy.

3. Benefits of capers for coagulation:

Proper regulation of coagulation system or clotting pathway is essential to prevent clotting problems. Problems with clotting can have many health implications. Excessive clotting leads to the formation of clots which can lead to heart attack, stroke, etc. Impaired clotting can lead to excessive bleeding from trivial wounds, etc.

Capers help in the optimal functioning of the clotting or coagulation system. [6] . Inhibition of a substance called complement is necessary to maintain anticoagulation effect which prevents the formation of abnormal clots in the body.

Our body has a natural substance called heparin which does this activity. Capers extracts have shown to inhibit complement activity in a better way in comparison to heparin.

4. Good for joint and cartilage diseases:

Our joints are covered by a protective layer called cartilage to prevent the wear and tear of the joints. Cartilage is made up of cells called chondrocytes. Cartilage and also joints are damaged in joint diseases.

According to a research report, capers have substances like flavonoids, for example, kaempferol and quercetin which have chondroprotective effects. [7] They protect the cartilage and joints from diseases and inflammation. This anti-inflammatory effect of capers derivatives is more potent than the commonly used drug indomethacin (a type of NSAID), which is used to control inflammation.

5. Boosts immunity:

Capers were studied for their ability to boost immunity. [8]. As per the study conducted on certain animals, capers enhanced the immunity levels and made the animals very strong and capable of fighting infections.

Extracts of capers have increased the phagocytic activity in these animals. Phagocytes are the cells which engulf harmful microbes like bacteria. They also stimulated the action of cytokines, which are very important immunomodulatory substances. People consuming capers regularly will surely enjoy a strong immune system and good overall health.

Benefits of capers for skin:


6. Protects from harmful ultraviolet rays:

Ultraviolet rays from the sun can be really very damaging to our skin. People from certain parts of the world where the ozone layer is depleted are more prone to damage from ultraviolet rays.

The harmful effects of UV rays can even lead to skin cancers like melanoma. Certain compounds in capers have photoprotective properties. [9] They protect us from harmful UV rays and reduce the redness or erythema of skin caused by UV rays.

7. Prevent premature aging:

Free radicals produced as a result of many metabolic processes damage our skin very badly in addition to causing heart and brain disorders. They make us look old at a very young age.

Capers have powerful antioxidants which fight the free radicals nad prevent aging prematurely. They also reduce the signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles and age spots. So, eat capers regularly to look young.

8. Moisturize skin:

Capers are rich in water content too. They maintain adequate hydration of the skin and prevents skin from becoming dry. People with dry skin can also benefit from eating capers due to its moisturizing effects.

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9. Treats skin diseases:

Capers have shown to inhibit the activity of certain cells like fibroblasts which are responsible for the excessive fibrosis of the body parts in a disorder called systemic sclerosis or scleroderma. [10]

In scleroderma, the skin becomes very dry, rough and fibrosis. Capers has a protective effect against skin damage ins systemic sclerosis.

In addition to this, capers can also relieve from acne or pimples breakout and also skin irritation. It is for this reason, capers are also being used as a part of various skin care products.

10. Protects from allergies:

Extracts of Capparis Spinosa or capers have also shown anti-allergic effects. [11] Allergies can cause symptoms ranging from mild skin irritation of rash to life-threatening bronchospasm or constriction of bronchus and shortness of breath.

Allergic reaction is mediated by certain substances like histamine, mast cells, etc. Capers have substances which have antihistaminic effects and they also control the mast cells which lead to allergic reactions. People suffering from allergies can surely benefit from capers consumption.

11. Good for Diabetes:

capers for diabetes

Capers are really good for people suffering from diabetes. Studies have shown that Capers have substances which have beneficial effects for people suffering from Diabetes. [12]

Capers reduce the high blood sugar levels, high cholesterol levels and correct the functioning of liver in Diabetic people. Capers reduce the levels of triglycerides in Diabetic people. [13] They also showed no side effects on kidneys and liver.

12. Relieves constipation:

Capers are a rich source of fiber. The fiber in the diet is absolutely essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Lack of sufficient fiber in the diet leads to constipation which is very troublesome.

Constipation, in turn, can lead to many other problems like piles or hemorrhoids, anal fissure, etc which are very painful. Capers with their high fiber content helps us get rid of constipation and prevent the complications of constipation. The fiber in capers absorbs water and makes stool very soft and easy to pass through our gut.

13. Get rid of flatulence:

Improper digestion leads to excess production of gas in the intestines. This excess gas is released out like flatus. Flatulence can be a really embarrassing problem. It makes us lose self-confidence when we are out in amongst the people. Capers improve digestion, maintain the health of digestive tract and help us to get rid of flatulence.

14. Benefits of capers for hair:


Healthy hair growth requires an adequate supply of nutrients in the form of vitamins and minerals. It also needs a good supply of blood to the hair follicles and scalp.

Capers are rich in many vitamins like vitamin B, C, and E which make hair grow very well. They area also rich in iron which helps in forming hemoglobin and maintains proper blood supply to the hair follicles. Make capers a part of your diet to get long, shining, lovely tresses.

15. Treats anemia:

Anemia is the lack of adequate hemoglobin in the blood. This leads to excessive tiredness,fatigue if mild and shortness of breath and even heart failure if very severe.

Capers have a good amount of iron which promotes the formation of hemoglobin in the body and cures anemia. They also have vitamin C which facilitates the absorption of iron from the alimentary system.

16. Help in relieving congestion:

Some people suffer from excess production of phlegm or mucus which accumulates in the chest and respiratory passages. This leads to chest tightness, pain in the chest, etc. Capers make the respiratory tract healthy, get rid of excess mucus or phlegm and relieve the congestion.

17. Good for people aiming for weight loss:

When we want to get rid of the excess weight, we need to maintain a diet low in carbohydrates and calories. We also need to incorporate a diet rich in fiber that helps in making us satiated for a long time.

Capers are a perfect combination of high fiber content and low calories. They are really good for people wanting to shed extra pounds from their body.

18. Lowers cholesterol:

Cholesterol like LDL and VLDL, triglycerides in excess amounts can damage our body and causes diseases of the heart, brain, etc. Capparis spinosa or capers extracts have shown to reduce the levels of all these harmful lipids in the body as per a research study.[14]

19. Improves cognition or brain power:


Many reasons can be found behind the impairment of cognitive functions in a person. A study was conducted to study the efficacy of capers extracts in reversing the cognitive impairment in animals damaged by certain substances like lipopolysaccharide. [15]

It was noted that capers extracts have shown to reverse the cognitive decline and boost the memory power. Further research is being conducted to study the role of capers extracts in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimers.

20. Treats cancers:

Capparis spinosa or capers extracts are used in certain medicines like uygur medicine for its anti-cancer or anti-tumor activity. [16] Capers have shown to kill cancer or tumor cells by a process called apoptosis or programmed cell death.

21. Rich in vitamins and minerals:

Capers have an abundance of all the vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals are required for the proper functioning of all the body parts and metabolic processes in the body.

They are necessary for making the skin healthy and glowing, to promote the growth of healthy and shiny hair. They are necessary to prevent the development of various health ailments.

Capers with its rich vitamin and mineral content is sure to make you healthy, and also have a glowing skin and luscious hair.

  • Although capers are very healthy and nutritious, they do have certain side effects. You need to be cautious to avoid suffering from these side effects.
  • Capers are highly rich in sodium. They have almost 200 % of recommended daily intake of sodium. Excess sodium can lead to water retention and elevation of blood pressure.
  • So, they can be safely consumed by people having hypotension or low blood pressure. But, they need to be avoided by people having high blood pressure or hypertension.
  • Capers are generally not recommended to be eaten by women who are pregnant as it can have adverse effects on the baby.
  • It is also not recommended for people suffering from a condition called osteoporosis or people having low bone mineral density or BMD. Capers can worsen osteoporosis due to their high sodium content.
Others names of capers:

Hindi: Kabra
Telugu: Kokilakshamu
Marathi: Kabur
Punjabi: Barar
Kannada: Mullukattari

You have seen all the benefits of capers for skin, hair, and health. Have you ever eaten capers? How do you use them, for pickling or in a salad? Share how you use them in your diet with us.