14 Health Benefits Of Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) And Recipes

Introduction

Black pepper, also known as the king of spices has a load of health benefits and a major benefit of consuming pepper is that it aids in weight loss. It is also said to be good for digestion and prevents cancer by detoxifying the body. When this spice is added to the food, it makes your food taste better and spicier.

If you are a fitness enthusiast looking to lose weight quickly, then you need to add black pepper to your daily menu. Don’t forget to add lemon juice and finger millet (Ragi) too. All of these foods can help you lose weight quickly and black pepper cleans your intestines and stomach. Let’s take a look at some of the important facts about black pepper.

Facts About Black Pepper

Ever wondered why is black pepper is called the ‘King of Spice’? Well, this is because this spice has loads of benefits for your body. Here are some of the facts about this amazing spice.

• Helps in losing weight
• Detoxifies your body
• Prevents cancer
• Cleanses your intestines and stomach
• It consists of potassium that helps in regulating heart rate and high blood pressure
• Helps in producing red blood cells
• Rich in vitamin B and produces calcium
• Prevents constipation
• Prevents skin deformation & wrinkles

Note: Adding a pinch of black pepper to your daily diet can keep you healthy and using this as a weight-loss supplement is the best way for you to lose weight.

Black pepper and its superstar component, piperine, have some impressive tricks up their sleeve! Research suggests that piperine, found in black pepper, has a fun way of turbocharging our digestive system. Giving a friendly nudge to the digestive enzymes in our pancreas increases our digestive capacity and may assist the digestive process.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

14 Healthy Benefits of Black Pepper (Kali Mirch)

There are plenty of benefits surrounding this spice and there is a reason why our ancestors had named it the ‘King of Spice’. Well, here are 15 healthy benefits of black pepper and how it can act as a disinfectant that can prevent many diseases.

1. Prevents Any Sort of Cancer

Black pepper is said to prevent cancer when it is mixed with turmeric. This can be consumed in the form of milk by mixing turmeric and black pepper. This drink is usually given to individuals suffering from severe cold. It is said to consist of antioxidants, vitamin A and carotenoids that help in curing cancer and other deadly diseases. Also, this must be added to most of your daily diet as it is the best way you can stay fit naturally.

2. Good for Digestion

Black pepper helps in good digestion and when it is consumed raw, hydrochloric acid is released by the stomach and helps in breaking down the proteins. Hydrochloric acid helps in cleaning your intestines and barricading you from other gastrointestinal diseases. So don’t forget to add a pinch of black pepper to all of your food.

3. Prevents Constipation

If you have less than three stools a week, then you may be suffering from constipation. However, this problem can be solved by adding some pepper to your food daily. Sometimes when you may be suffering from constipation, you may end up straining to pass stools or sometimes you may not feel empty even after passing stools.

Thus, black pepper curbs colon cancer, constipation, diarrhoea and other types of bacterial types of diseases if consumed daily. Excessive consumption can be harmful to you, so make sure you just add a pinch of it to your daily food.

4. Treats Skin Problems

The ‘King of Spices’ is said to prevent skin pigmentation (Vitiligo). This condition makes your skin appear white and this is also called white patches. Though there are many medicines available in the market to restore your skin colour, black pepper protects your skin from any sort of skin pigmentation and helps maintain the original colour of your skin. Wrinkles and skin problems are curbed if you consume black pepper from a very young age. It also prevents premature ageing and dark spots too.

Consuming this spice in the raw or cooked form is good enough for your daily diet that will benefit your body and most importantly rejuvenate your skin. If you are suffering from acne, then you need to try black pepper as this will help your skin flush away the intoxicants in it and smoothen it. All you need to do is to crush some black pepper and apply it over your skin and you will find the difference.

5. Good for Your Hair

In order to treat dandruff, black pepper is said to be good. All you need to do is to add some crushed black pepper with some curd and add it to your scalp and let it dry for a minimum of 30 minutes. Also, make sure that you do not use excess black pepper as this can result in the burning of your scalp. Make sure that you do not use shampoo for the next 24 hours after applying black pepper to your hair as this may cause side effects. You can also add lime to the crushed black pepper and apply it to your scalp and then wash it after 30 minutes. This will make your hair shiny and smooth.

6. Aids in Weight Loss

The wonder spice helps you lose weight and this can be added to green tea and consumed two to three times a day. This is because this spice has a rich content of phytonutrients that helps in breaking down excess fat. This also improves your bodies metabolism. Green tea plus a pinch of black pepper in it can help you lose weight. This needs to be added to your everyday diet.

7. Treats Depression

Depression is said to be one of the most common problems faced by most people worldwide and this can even lead a person to death. However, there are medicines that can curb this mental problem from being devastating, however, raw black pepper can be given to depressed people to chew and this will change the mood of the person.

This happens due to the fact that chewing raw black pepper releases mood-inducing chemicals to the brain that will keep your mind calm and soothing all the time. However, this must not be done in excess as there will be consequences for the same.

8. Helps in Treating Respiratory Diseases

Cold and cough are said to be normal respiratory problems that can be cured by consuming black pepper. Simply just add a pinch of black pepper to some green tea and you’ll see the difference. Also, you can use a glass of milk and add a pinch of black pepper and a pinch of turmeric to it and consume it hot. This has no side effects.

During winter, adding a little bit of pepper to all your dishes can help you stay healthy and prevent yourself from different diseases. Black pepper mixed with some honey can also help you prevent chest congestion. Adding black pepper to some warm water along with some eucalyptus oil in it and inhaling the steam is a simple remedy for getting rid of chest congestion.

9. Reduces Joint Pain

If you are suffering from joint pain arthritis, you don’t have to be worried because pepper has medical properties that can help you solve this problem. It also helps in preventing gout. It is also used for people suffering from spinal and joint pain. Today, black pepper is used in many cuisines as a global spice. Black pepper’s most powerful impact is when a person with a cold and cough consumes it.

10. Detoxifies Your Body

This spice helps you sweat and urinate a lot and by this, you discharge all toxins from your body. Sweating and constantly urinating is a good sign that your body is functioning well. Also, you need to think about how you need to burn fat physically, rather than only consuming black pepper. Some people believe that black pepper can be only consumed and it will help them lose weight. But you may be wrong if you only concentrate on consuming it rather than following some simple exercises such as walking and jogging. Always keep in mind that if you want to lose weight, the result lies in following a healthy diet and exercising at the same time. If you follow this, you will witness the results in a few mocking.

Currently, this spice has been added to almost all dishes because it brings in a sharp and spicy flavour to your dish. It is originally found in India and this spice was first valued when it was traded from Asia to Europe.

11. Anti-inflammatory properties 

For many chronic or long-term conditions such as cancer, heart conditions, diabetes, asthma and so on, inflammation is a key underlying issue. Many studies have suggested that the active compound piperine in black pepper fights off inflammation effectively. 

12. Good for Your Brain 

Piperine has shown proven results when it comes to improving your brain health such as enhancing your memory power. Researchers found that this king of spices showed potential when it came to bettering degenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. 

13. Improves Blood Sugar 

Diabetics can enjoy their meals with a generous sprinkling of black pepper as the health benefits of black pepper show an ability to improve one’s blood glucose metabolism. A regular intake of this wonder spice may show a positive response when it comes to insulin sensitivity. However, more research is needed in this matter. 

14. Might Be Effective Against Cholesterol

Higher cholesterol levels are a warning sign for a possible heart attack. Regular consumption of black pepper has shown effective results in reducing cholesterol levels due to the presence of the compound piperine. Further, piperine can also enhance the absorption capacity of dietary supplements. For example, black pepper can increase up to 2,000% of the absorption of the compound curcumin in turmeric which also has potent health properties such as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. 

Did you know that black pepper holds a remarkable 20 per cent share of the global spice trade? It’s intriguing to note that the berries of black pepper grow in long green clusters, entwining themselves around tall trees and poles within the jungle. When these berries ripen and turn red, they are harvested to produce both black and white pepper varieties.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

Miscellaneous Benefits

• Consuming black pepper as part of your meals effectively increase the presence of good bacteria in your gut. 
• Can act naturally to alleviate pain
• Helps to promote better absorption of nutrients such as selenium and calcium

Tips for Using Black Pepper in Cooking

This was the reason why most travellers all over the world came to India. This spice can be added to almost any savoury. May it be hot or cold, this spice can be sprinkled over these dishes to spice it up. Here are some simple tips for adding black pepper to your daily cooking.

• Black pepper can be added to salads by sprinkling a pinch of salt on them.
• Add some black pepper while frying an omelette.
• You can add some black pepper to soups, sauces, steak and Bacon, fish and meat.
• You can add it to some of the hamburgers and sausages.
• Add some black pepper to strawberries and pineapple and taste it.
• You can also add some black pepper to mashed potatoes.

Black pepper is obtained by drying the ripe green berries of the pepper plant. This versatile spice is commonly used in three forms: powder, oil, and oleoresin. Interestingly, many countries import whole pepper berries and then process them into powder for various culinary uses.

Dr. Smita Barode, B.A.M.S, M.S

Also Read: 10 Incredible Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Black Pepper Recipes

Black pepper can be used in many dishes as this adds an aroma and a taste that can leave you craving for it all day. Here are some tasty recipes that you can add black pepper to.

1. Black Pepper Chicken Fry

Boneless pepper fry chicken is the tastiest among all other chicken dishes. This can leave your taste buds craving for more.

Ingredients:

Here is what you need to have to prepare your tasty dish of black pepper chicken:

• 1 cup freshly chopped onions
•  ¾ teaspoons of ginger garlic paste
• 1 cup of sliced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper powder
•  ¼ teaspoons of chilli powder
•  ¾ teaspoons of garam masala powder
• Mint leaves or curry leaves
• Cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• 3 tablespoons of oil

Note: Before you prepare the chicken, it must be marinated with salt, ginger garlic paste and turmeric.

Preparation of Pepper Chicken:

Here is how you prepare your tasty dish of black pepper chicken:

• Firstly, you need to wash the chicken and then drain out the water.
• Then pour oil into a pan and add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.
• Next, add the ginger-garlic paste and curry leaves and cook till the garlic smell reduces.
• Then add the chopped onions and fry till they become golden.
• Add salt and fry the tomatoes till they become soft.
• Once this is done, add the chicken and cook it for 5 minutes.
• Cover the pan and keep it on low flame and add little water to it. Make sure that it is cooked until the chicken gets soft. (Gravy Version)
• If you want to cook the chicken in a dry style, then you need to cook it without a lid so that all the water evaporates. Now your black pepper chicken is ready to be served hot and relished.

2. Potato Fritters with Black Pepper Crunch:

Dry fried foods and black pepper are perfect companions. The best part about pepper is that when it’s sprinkled at the last minute, it gives the food a finishing touch that makes your dish not only tasty but also healthy.

Ingredients:

Here is what you need to have before you cook your crunchy potato pepper fritters:

• 2 medium-sized potatoes
• 4 tablespoons of coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper
• Sunflower oil or olive oil.
• 2 fresh green chillies
• A pinch of salt
• 20 grams of rice flour
• 1  ¼ tablespoon of salt
• 1 full fresh finely chopped coriander

Preparation of Crunchy Potato Pepper Fritters:

Now that you have all your ingredients ready, it’s time to make your tasty dish of  crunchy potato pepper fritters.

• Firstly, take a pan and crush the garlic and chillies together and add a pinch of salt to it.
• Then add 300ml of water in it and then cut the potatoes and add coriander seeds and pepper to it.
• Now take a separate pan and heat the oil in it on high flame.
• Then take the neatly sliced potatoes and dip them in the mix and add it to the oil and deep fry it till it turns golden brown.

After frying them, you can add some pepper to them. Now you’re crispy and crunchy potato pepper fritters are ready to be munched.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Now that you know that the ‘King of Spice’ has so many benefits for your health, let’s take a peek into why is this spice is relished in many countries and what sets it different from other spices. Here are some frequently asked questions that will give you an insight into black pepper.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

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