Black pepper is one of the most commonly used spices in the world.
Black pepper and white pepper both come from the same plant species.
But they are prepared differently.
Black pepper is made by cooking the dried unripe fruit.
White pepper is made by cooking and drying the ripe seeds.
Black pepper is one of the most commonly used spices worldwide.
It's made by grinding peppercorns, which are dried berries from the vine Piper nigrum.
It has a sharp and mildly spicy flavor that goes well with many dishes.
But black pepper is more than just a kitchen staple.
It has been deemed the "king of spices" and used in ancient Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years due to its high concentration of potent, beneficial plant compounds.
9 Science backed health benefits of black pepper
1. High in antioxidants
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage your cells.
Excess free radical damage may lead to major health problems.
Black pepper is rich in a plant compound called piperine, which test-tube studies have found to have potent antioxidant properties.
Studies suggest that a diet high in antioxidants may help prevent or delay the damaging effects of free radicals.
Test-tube and rodent studies have observed that ground black pepper and piperine supplements may reduce free radical damage.
2. May benefit your brain
Piperine has been shown to improve brain function in animal studies.
In particular, it has demonstrated potential benefits for symptoms related to degenerative brain conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
3. Has anti inflammatory properties
Chronic inflammation may be an underlying factor in many conditions, such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Many laboratory studies suggest that piperine the main active compound in black pepper may effectively fight inflammation.
4. May improve blood sugar control
Studies suggest that piperine may help improve blood sugar metabolism.
86 overweight people taking a supplement containing piperine and other compounds for 8 weeks experienced significant improvements in insulin sensitivity a measure of how well the hormone insulin removes glucose from the bloodstream.
