Black Pepper
Black pepper is considered an important healing spice in ayurveda. Along with long pepper and ginger, it forms the herbal preparation called trikatu, an important ingredient in many ayurvedic formulations. It has cleansing and antioxidant properties, and it is a bioavailability enhancer — it helps transport the benefits of other herbs to the different parts of the body. It helps the free flow of oxygen to the brain, helps enhance digestion and circulation, stimulates the appetite, and helps maintain respiratory system health and the health of the joints.
Since ancient times, black pepper is one of the most widely-traded spices in the world. It is not a seasonal plant making it available throughout the year. When dried, this plant-derived spice is referred to as a peppercorn. Due to its antibacterial properties, pepper is used to preserve food. Black pepper could also be an anti-inflammatory agent.
Black Pepper Nutrition Facts
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, black pepper is an excellent source of vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, C, E, B6, and K. Moreover, it is also rich in minerals like zinc, sodium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, calcium.
One teaspoon of ground pepper contains:
✓5 calories
✓1 g of carbohydrate (half of which is fiber)
✓Negligible fat and protein
✓8.7 mg calcium (1% of the daily value)
✓0.6 mg iron (3% of the daily value)
✓0.1 mg manganese (6% of the daily value)
✓3.3 mcg vitamin K (4% of the daily value)
Health Benefits of Black Pepper
1.Prevents Cancer
Black pepper helps in defending against the formation of cancer cells. The goodness of piperine in black pepper improves the absorption of essential nutrients that are vital for digestive health and prevents cancer. Evidence also proves that anticancer properties of piperine lowers the stress on rectum. It should be consumed in raw form to combat against the occurrence of cancer.
2.Glowing skin
Pepper’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties help cure skin infections and acne. Apart from adding it to your diet, try including it in your face scrubs. It exfoliates dead skin and stimulates blood circulation causing more oxygen to flow to your face. This results in a healthy and glowing complexion.
3.Improves Digestive Health
Black pepper stimulates the digestive juices and enzymes, thereby promoting digestion. This holds true when you consume black pepper, especially with a meal, which might enhance your body’s ability break down and digest food. Research has shown that black pepper has a positive effect on pancreatic enzymes too, benefiting the overall digestive process.
4.Helps you lose weight
Black pepper is wonderful in helping the appropriate ingestion (extraction of all the nutrients) of food. Moreover, its outer surface that contains powerful nutrients energizes the breakdown of fat cells. Additionally, it encourages sweating and urination and is also a powerful way to eliminate excessive water as well as harmful toxins through the body. All these activities jointly assist in weight reduction. For effective weight loss, simply sprinkle pepper over the food. Avoid eating excessive spice, it may cause serious negative effects.
5.Relieves gas
Known for its carminative properties (a substance that prevents the formation of gas) black pepper is great to relieve discomfort caused due to flatulence and colicky pain. Adding pepper to your meals instead of chili powder will help relieve flatulence.
6.Cleanses Your Body
The warming quality of black pepper essential improves circulation which works to help you both sweat and urinate. Your natural eliminatory system works to remove excess fats, salt, water, urea and uric acid from your body. Uric acid is associated with joint pain, arthritis and gout.
Your body can become toxin-free, helping you feel that much healthier as you lose weight and lower your blood pressure. Glucose tolerance and liver function may improve too.
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