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Black pepper

Also Known As : Kali mirch (Hindi), Golmirich (Marathi), Kurumilagu (Tamil), Kurumulak (Malayalam), Miryalatige (Telugu), Karimenasu (Kannada), Syah mirch (Urdu), Kalomirich (Gujarati), Marich (Sanskrit), Kali miri (Marathi)
Technical Name : Piper nigrum
Can Eat 3

Vegetarian

Taste Profile

Black pepper has a woody, piney, and sharp taste

Usage Tips

  1. A pinch of black pepper added to any recipe works as a flavor enhancer.
  2. Ayurvedic tea made with black pepper is one of the teas recommended for weight loss.
  3. It is used make homemade tonics along with ginger and honey for treating cold , cough and sore throat.
  4. Storing ground black pepper in the refrigerator leads to a longer shelf life.
  5. It can be used to make soups and stews.

Common names and forms

  1. Black Pepper (Radurised)
  2. Black Pepper Bits
  3. Black Pepper Corn
  4. Black Pepper Crush
  5. Black pepper Crushed
  6. Black Pepper Seeds
  7. Black Pepper Whole
  8. Black Peppercorns
  9. Coarse Pepper
  10. Cracked Black Peppercorns
  11. Crushed Black Pepper
  12. For gravy Whole black pepper
  13. Ground Black Pepper
  14. Ground pepper
  15. Herbal Pepper
  16. Kali Mirch
  17. Marich
  18. Maricha
  19. Miryalu
  20. Organic Black Pepper
  21. Organic Black Pepper Whole
  22. Pepper
  23. Pepper
  24. Pepper
  25. Pepper Black Powder
  26. Pepper Corn
  27. Pepper Powder
  28. Peppercorns
  29. Steam Sterilized Black Pepper
  30. Tailed Pepper
  31. Whole Pepper

Description

Black pepper known as “king of spices” is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae that is cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn. Black pepper is produced from the still-green, unripe drupe of the pepper plant. The drupes are cooked briefly in hot water, both to clean them and to prepare them for drying. The heat ruptures cell walls in the pepper, speeding the work of browning enzymes during drying. The drupes are dried in the sun or by machine for several days, during which the pepper skin around the seed shrinks and darkens into a thin, wrinkled black layer. Once dry, the spice is called black peppercorn. Black pepper is native to present-day Kerala in South India and is extensively cultivated there.

Health benefits

  • Black pepper is rich in a plant compound called piperine, which acts as a potent antioxidant. It can prevent or repair the damage caused by free radicals and help prevent many diseases. It also exhibits antitumor activity for a few types of cancer – they include breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. (1)
  • Consuming pepper increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach which facilitates digestion. It prevents the onset of intestinal issues including diarrhea, constipation, and colic. Good digestion helps in weight loss. (1)
  • It can break up the mucus and phlegm depositions in the respiratory tract. Black pepper also provides relief from sinusitis and nasal congestion. (1)
  • Pepper can be added to the diet to keep the arteries clean by scraping excess cholesterol from the walls, thereby helping to reduce atherosclerosis. This reduces the chances of heart attack and stroke. (1)
  • Piperine in black pepper inhibits an enzyme that breaks down serotonin, the calming neurotransmitter. This enzyme also degrades the functioning of another hormone called melatonin – which regulates the sleep/wake cycle. (2)
  • Piperine plays a vital role in Parkinson’s disease. It inhibits another type of enzyme that disrupts the production of dopamine (the feel-good hormone). Dopamine is usually deficient in patients with Parkinson’s disease. It also delays brain aging and helps prevent Alzheimer’s. (2)

Selection Guide

It’s better to buy whole pepper seeds and then form a powder out of it rather than buying powdered black pepper as it ensures good quality. Look for peppercorns that are compact, round, heavy, and whole.

Note

Black pepper is found to cause stomach burns when taken in large quantities. Patients who have undergone abdominal surgery should not add excessive pepper to their diet because it can have an irritating effect on the intestines. It may cause some irritation to pregnant women, and might even cause some allergies to breast feeding mothers. (3)

Resource & Links

(1) https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-black-pepper.html

(2) https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-benefits-of-black-pepper/

(3) https://www.lybrate.com/topic/black-pepper-benefits-and-side-effects

- Disclaimer
"Information here is provided for discussion and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice or product or ingredient review/rating. The information may not apply to you and before you use or take any action, you should contact the manufacturer, seller, medical, dietary, fitness or other professional. If you utilize any information provided here, you do so at your own risk and you waive any right against Culinary Communications Private Limited, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees or representatives.”