Black pepper (peppercorns) are among the most commonly traded spices worldwide. It originates from the family Piperaceae, cultivated as a small fruit and ultimately dried for consumption. Although you add this spice to your regular diet, you may not be very familiar with the health benefits of black pepper. And, that is what we are going to address through this article.
Black pepper is a storehouse of health benefits due to its composition of piperine, the main active ingredient, and other bioactive compounds. It acts as an antioxidant, contains anti-inflammatory properties, protects against cancer, and also lowers blood sugar and bad cholesterol levels.
So, here we bring out a complete pack of health benefits of black pepper at a glance. Just keep on reading and know more.
The Ultimate List Of 15 Health Benefits Of Black Pepper
1. Act As Antioxidant
Black pepper plays a significant role in protecting your body against free radicals by inhibiting body cell damage. This forbids heart disease, cancer, inflammatory diseases, progeria, and many more.
The alkaloid plant compound piperine possesses antioxidant properties, which help prevent or delay the negative impacts of free radicals. In this case, free radicals are built up naturally inside the body due to exercise, digestion, exposure to sun rays, smoke, dust, or certain pollutants.
2. Hold Anti-Inflammatory Properties
The main operative compound, piperine in black pepper, reacts to inflammatory injuries and infections that result in a long- list of disorders like asthma, arthritis blindness, cancers, autism, and mental ailments.
A lab test has demonstrated it to rat models with inflammatory disorders accompanied by severe pain (rheumatoid arthritis). The mice with arthritis injected with piperine experienced reduced inflammation and less swelling in joints. Though it is unverified practically in humans, Piperine also acts on chronic inflammation for individuals with metabolic syndrome.
3. Show Antibacterial Properties
Here we come across the anti-bacterial properties in black pepper spice, which exhibit excellent antimicrobial activity to bacteria. Generally, it inhibits 25 percent of bacteria like S.aureus, P.aeruginosa, C. Albicans, plus it is recognized as a powerful building block for various diseases and foodborne pathogens. Specifically, the extracts of black pepper were evaluated for antibacterial activity by the disc diffusion method.
P.V. Karsha et al. have revealed that Black pepper repels gram-positive bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and E.faecalis as the black pepper altered the membrane permeability.
4. Cancer Fighter
Best practices suggest piperine in black pepper diminishes the replication of prostate, breast, and colon cancer cells. Black pepper acts as a curing representative for the most common type of bone cancer, “ Osteosarcoma “.Hence it reduces the risk of any sort of cancer.
Turmeric and black pepper make a good combination for treatment for severe diseases, sickness, or cancer. A surface-level investigation done by a group from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil found that the presence of vitamins, carotenoids, and antioxidants (piperine) in pepper contributes to enhancing anticancer properties, not affecting healthy cells.
5. Lower The Cholesterol Level
Cholesterol levels under 200 mg/dl are healthy for adults and under 170 mg/dl for children. Exceeding this limit directs you to several fatal diseases like heart attack, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and atherosclerosis.
A recent study on rats fed with high-fat foods concluded, “piperine causes cholesterol transporter proteins to stay inside the cell instead of traveling to collect cholesterol”. This eventually increased the HDL (good) cholesterol and reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol plus VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol efficiently.
6. Maintain Blood Sugar Level
Chemical Piperine regulates glucose and reduces the blood sugar level to a considerable range. Through natural experiments, it is discovered that black pepper can slow down blood clotting, improve insulin sensitivity, and explicitly affect glucose levels.
On the other hand, excess intake of black pepper might drop the sugar level or experience bruising or abnormally heavy bleeding in medical operations, causing trouble. So, beware of the required measures and possible negative impacts that might be encountered.
7. Nutrient Amplifier
Black pepper is enriched with antioxidants, essential oils, phytonutrients to protect your body cells and enhance digestive functions. It consists of micronutrients like calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, folate, and many vitamins (A, C, B2, B3). In addition, piperine boosts the absorption of essential nutrients like iron and beta carotene.
The mineral Manganese in black peppercorns helps form connective tissues, bones, sex hormones, and blood clotting factors. Black pepper amplifies the regulation of intestinal microbiota and gastrointestinal health. Consequently, this provides maximum support for dietary supplements’ absorption and transportation.
8. Substitute For Salt
Long-term effects of too much salt result in heart failure, headaches, kidney stones, high blood pressure, stomach cancer, strokes, and more. Undoubtedly, here comes a beneficial solution to Individuals suffering from such or those advised to get less salt daily. They can use black pepper as a good substitute for your meal. It not only adds flavor but also makes you healthier.
9. Aids To Brain Functioning
Black pepper stimulates brain function, improves memory, involves conscious intellectual activities, and prevents brain aging. The “Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease” published in 2012 provides evidence for the contribution of black pepper to Alzheimer’s disease by taking advanced actions to protect healthy cells in the brain from free radicals.
Piperine stands against neurodegenerative diseases that catalyze memory loss, anxiety, forgetfulness, mood changes, and agitation. Black pepper treats depression too. It is capable of mood fixing by inducing chemicals to the brain and changing the state of mind to a calm and soothing nature.
10. Ease Digestion
Black pepper eases digestion and supports metabolism. It stimulates saliva production, bile, and other acids that facilitate digestion from the mouth to the excretory process. The outer layer of peppercorns helps to break down the fat cells. So black pepper is widely used among people with stomach disorders, colic pain, and diarrhea.
Ones with infrequent bowel movements or hard-struggle stomachs by being full all the time, with this in mind, can add a bit more black pepper to the diet for a quick remedy.
For example, Sri Lankan people from ancient days used to sprinkle pepper powder on Waraka fruit (ripe baby jackfruit) with some salt to ease digestion. They also add it to the meat or vegetable soup, egg dishes, fruit salad for a better flavor and to facilitate digestion. Some prepared black pepper broth as a stomach pain reliever. After all these decades, such precautions are seen even today.
11. Treat Respiratory Diseases
Piperine in black pepper crackdown the bacteria responsible for various respiratory disorders. Generally, it treats influenza, nasal congestion, common cold, sinusitis, and inflamed lungs by breaking up phlegm and mucus in the respiratory tract.
Mix 2-3 grams of black pepper powder with honey and ghee. Use twice a day to see the difference but do not go overboard. Or else crush some garlic, ginger, and black pepper, then mix and make it paste-like(with moisture). Place it on the back of the mouth (keep biting) for some time. Indeed It will work out to get rid of the disturbance in the throat.
Its aromatic musty odor makes you sneeze and cough, thus discharging out the depositions on your nasal tract, which might help you recover soon.
12. Prevents Skin Disorders
Vitiligo is a skin disorder due to a lack of melanocytes. Skin loses its natural color making white patches. Black pepper withholds this outstanding capability by preventing skin pigmentation, dark spots, premature aging, wrinkles, or any sort of skin irritability – like itching.
Its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties remove the intoxicants and soothe your skin naturally. Simply crush some black pepper and apply it to your face to refrain from acne or dry- rough nature.
Pepper is small in quantity and great in virtue
World-famous Athenian philosopher Plato
13. Good For Hair And Teeth
Consuming black pepper raw or after cooking can affect your hair and teeth exceptionally. It stimulates hair growth, relieves dandruff, and is good for the scalp. Therefore many hair treatments to regrow thicker and longer hair in women include black pepper. It adds notable positive outcomes to your appearance.
Specifically, black peppercorns enhance gum strength and heal toothaches and pain in cavities. It helps to overcome sensitive teeth and periodontitis. The presence of calcium, potassium, and selenium builds up sturdy gums, proper formation of the base providing good oral care. According to sources, toothpaste with turmeric and black pepper is recommended to improve oral hygiene.
14. Support In Weight- Loss
Black pepper is packed with lots of vitamins and minerals, which supports fat burning and weight loss to a great extent. Its thermogenic effect increases the metabolic rate while burning down excess calories after ingesting food.
The spicy nature enhances thermogenesis quickening the absorption of nutrients, preventing the accumulation of too much fat yet strengthening immunity. Piperine helps in the digestion of proteins and fat cell differentiation.
Since black pepper is a pillar to detoxification, it helps to sweat and urinate properly. It’s a good sign of your body functioning well and participating in removing toxins out. Just try with one teaspoonful of black pepper every day or add some to the green tea for different results.
15. A Multifaceted Spice
Black pepper performs a wide range of benefits to all consumers. It is a natural, versatile spice with many more profits.
Inhibiting Food Spoilage And Pathogenic Food Bacteria
It is antifungal. Antimicrobial activity between black pepper chloroform extract versus E. COLI and Staphylococcus aureus observed inhibition of spoilage. Piperine may also kill fungi and other parasites to improve nourishment in eatables.
Increases Appetite
Stimulates both digestion and appetite. It promotes the secretion of digestive juices, helps in transporting and cleansing the intestines. Also, increase appetite through its pungent odor.
Boosting Men Fertility
Piperine enhances sexual performance in men. And also, the presence of Zinc and Magnesium raises the testosterone level and sperm count, preserving fertility.
Better Cognitive Functions
Heals memory impairment and protects healthy cells in the brain. In brief, piperine improves overall brain function by acting as an antidepressant.
Dominant Pain Reliever
Early men used black pepper and turmeric to rehabilitate joint pain and bone massage in common. Furthermore, it supports nerve pain, itchy skin, muscle pain and fights infections (insect bites).
Tips to Know- In -Advance
It’s always good to have black pepper on an empty stomach before breakfast for better results. Make sure to consume it in moderation. 1-2 teaspoons of black pepper are more than enough to keep the doctor away.
Keep in mind! Though black peppercorns serve you with sufficient benefits, overdoing it might cause adverse effects.
