Black pepper comes from the black pepper plant, which belongs to the Piperaceae family. Today, it is widely used as both spice and medicine. Black pepper contains an ingredient called piperine, which gives it spiciness flavor. Black pepper plants are a native to Kerala, India, and ever since ancient times, black pepper has been the most widely-traded spices in the world. One great thing about black peppers is that they are not a seasonal plant, which makes them available throughout the year. When the fruit is dried, this plant-derived spice is called peppercorn. It has antibacterial properties, that is why they are high in preserving foods.
Black pepper contains vitamins and minerals such as sodium, as well as vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, potassium, calcium, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B6, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Black pepper helps a lot in weight loss and helps in dismissing sinus, nasal congestion, and asthma. Aside from that, it also helps reduce the risk of having heart and liver ailments as well as cancer. In this article, we are going to discuss more the health benefits of black pepper in detail.
Antitumor Properties – Black peppers contain antioxidants that can help prevent and repair the damage that is caused by free radicals, which in turn help prevent several diseases. According to a study that compared various spices, the piperine that is found in black pepper has an antitumor activity for some types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. (read more here)
Improves Digestion – Consuming pepper or just adding it to your juice can increase the hydrochloric acid excretion in your stomach, which helps facilitate good digestion. Proper digestion is essential to avoid gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, diarrhea, and as well as colic. Sweating helps remove the harmful toxins and foreign bodies from pores, and it can also remove excess water.
Having an excellent digestive system can help in weight loss, which in turn boosts your overall body function to be better, and prevents severe gastrointestinal conditions.
Skin Care – Pepper may also help relieve vitiligo, which is a skin illness that causes certain areas of skin to lose its pigmentation and eventually turn white. According to experts. the piperine that can be found in peppers can help to stimulate the skin in producing melanocyte pigment.
Provides Respiratory Relief – Since ancient times, pepper is added to tonics as a treatment for cold and cough. This is because pepper helps provide relief from nasal congestion and sinusitis. Black peppers have an expectorant property, which helps break up phlegm and mucus depositions that are found in the respiratory tract. Soups and stews made with black pepper, as well as other aromatic spices are also used to treat coughs and colds.
Antibacterial Quality – Black pepper contains antibacterial properties that help fight insect bites and infections. If you add pepper to your food or juice, it can help to keep your arteries clean because it acts as fiber when it comes to scraping excess cholesterol from the intestinal walls, which in turn helps reduce atherosclerosis, the condition that is strongly linked to heart attack and stroke. Studies showed that that the antibacterial compounds in black pepper is helpful when it comes to fighting against gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus sphaericus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and other certain gram-negative bacterial strains.
Enhances Bioavailability – Studies show that black pepper works well in transporting the benefits of other compounds and herbs to different parts of the body, which maximizes the effectiveness of the other foods we eat. That is why adding it to food not only makes it pleasant, it also helps to make the nutrients more available and accessible to our body.
Improves Cognition – Experts say that piperine, one of the main components of black pepper, can help reduce cognitive malfunction and memory impairment. The chemical pathways in the brain are stimulated by this organic compound, which is why it also benefits Alzheimer’s patients and those people who are suffering free radical-related and age-related malfunctions in cognition.
Gives Relief from Peptic Ulcers – Several studies have shown that black pepper has beneficial effects peptic ulcers and gastric mucosal damage because it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.