Black pepper is one of the typically utilized spices worldwide. It is prepared by grinding peppercorns, which are dried berries from the vine piper Nigrum.
It has a sharp and mildly spicy flavor that can be added to different dishes.
But black pepper is more than only a kitchen staple. It has been considered the king of spices and utilized in ancient Ayurvedic medicine for many years because of its high concentration of strong, helpful plant compounds.
You might be surprised to understand that black pepper helps weight loss. This aromatic spice consists of vitamins, healthy fats, dietary fiber, and minerals. Furthermore, it has low calories. Scientist discovered that black pepper consisting an active ingredient called piperine that promotes fat metabolism, lower fat cell formation, and raise the bioavailability of nutrients.
Nutritional Value of Black Pepper
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Black pepper provides rich potassium. Potassium helps to manage heart rate and utilize normal blood pressure. Black pepper also has rich iron and helps to manage low blood pressure. Black pepper is helpful in the production of red blood cells, is rich in manganese, and provide antioxidant enzyme. It has rich vitamin B like zinc, vitamin B, thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin. Black pepper is one of the rich sources of calcium and benefits old people. They can get a good amount of calcium for bone. Black pepper provides rich vitamin K.
Nutritional facts Per 100 grams in Black Pepper
Calories 251
Total Fat 3.3 g
Sodium 20 mg
Potassium 1,329 mg
Total Carbohydrate 64 g
Protein 10 g
Minerals and Vitamins in Black pepper
Vitamin A 10 %
Calcium 0.44
Iron 53 %
Vitamin B-6 15 %
Magnesium 42 %
How Does Black Pepper Help Weight Loss?
You can get black pepper either externally or internally. Here is a list of different use of black pepper for effective weight loss.
Black Pepper Oil
Purchase 100% pure black pepper oil from a medical shop and include one drop of this oil in one glass of water. Consume this before getting breakfast. You can also use this oil on the skin to treat skin infections.
Black Pepper Tea
Easy to cook, black pepper tea is one of the good ways to eat black pepper for weight loss. You can use lemon, ginger, honey, cinnamon, tulsi, or green tea bags to prepare the tea. Utilize half or 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper and consume it before breakfast.
Black Pepper Drink
Utilize black pepper in your fruit or vegetable juice. Black pepper’s strong smell and distinct taste will spice up the drink. Regular consumption will not only help to lower weight but also enhance skin and stop the gut problem.
Consume Directly
You can eat black pepper directly by chewing 2-3 black peppercorns each morning. This should be performed only by those who can tolerate the black pepper heat.
Black Pepper: Dosage For Weight Loss
You can eat 1-2 teaspoons of black pepper daily for weight loss. If you are utilized to more black pepper, raise your everyday dose of black pepper slowly. Do not eat more black pepper as it will only lead to gastrointestinal problems, burning sensations in the eyes, stomach irritation, and respiratory problems.
When To Eat Black Pepper For Weight Loss
Black pepper tea and oil diluted in one cup of water should be taken before breakfast. Also, if you prefer to chew black peppercorns, eat it in the morning after your morning detox drink and before breakfast. You can eat one glass of fruit or vegetable juice with black pepper post-lunch or in the evening.
Benefits
High In Antioxidants
Free radicals are not stable molecules that can affect the cells. Some free radicals are formed naturally like when you work out and digest food.
However, extra free radicals can be formed with exposure to things like cigarette smoke, pollution, and sun rays. More free radical damage causes major health problems. For example, it has been connected to premature aging, inflammation, heart disease, and cancer.
Black pepper is rich in a plant compound called piperine, which test tube research has discovered to get strong antioxidant properties. According to research, a diet with high antioxidants may help to stop or delay the damaging effects of free radicals.
Black pepper also provides anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation may be the underlying factor in different conditions, such as heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. Different laboratory research recommends that piperine, the primary active compound in black pepper may work effectively to treat inflammation.
May Benefit Your Brain
Piperine has been indicated to improve brain function in animal research. In particular, it has demonstrated helpful benefits for symptoms linked to degenerative brain conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
For example, research in rats with Alzheimer’s disease discovered that piperine enhances memory, as the distribution of piperine allowed the rats to repeatedly run a maze more efficiently than rats not given the compound.
In different rodent studies, piperine extract seemed to reduce the formation of amyloid plaques, which are dense clumps of damaging protein fragments in the brain that have been connected to Alzheimer’s disease.
May Enhance Blood Sugar Control
Research recommends that piperine may improve your blood sugar metabolism.
According to one research, rats fed a black pepper extract had a little spike in blood sugar levels after eating glucose compared to rats in the control group.
Additionally, 86 overweight people taking a supplement consisting of piperine and different synthesis for 8-weeks feel significant improvements in insulin sensitivity, which is a measure of how well the hormone insulin removes glucose from the bloodstream.
However, it is not clear whether similar effects would happen with black pepper alone, as a combination of different active plant syntheses was utilized in this study.
May Reduce Cholesterol Levels
High blood cholesterol is linked with a high risk of heart ailment, which is the leading reason for death worldwide( 28Trusted Source).
Black pepper extract has been researched in animals for its benefits to lower cholesterol levels.
Additionally, piperine and black pepper are thought to promote the absorption of dietary supplements that cause potential cholesterol-reducing effects like red yeast rice, and turmeric.
For example, research has indicated that black pepper may raise the absorption of the active turmeric component curcumin by up to 2,000%.
Cancer-Fighting Properties
Researchers hypothesize that the active synthesis in piperine and black pepper may provide cancer-fighting properties. (35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source).
Though no human trials have been done, test tube research discovered that piperine slowed the replication of prostate, breast, and colon cancer cells.
Other benefits
Black pepper may help health in different other ways depending on preliminary research:
Promote Absorption Of Nutrients
Black pepper may boost the absorption of essential nutrients like selenium, and calcium and also some helpful plant compounds, such as those present in turmeric and green tea.
May Boost Gut Health
The makeup of gut bacteria has been connected to mood, immune function, chronic diseases, and more. Preliminary research recommends that black pepper may boost the good bacteria in the gut.
May Offer Pain Relief
Though it has yet to be researched in humans, research in rodents suggests that black pepper and piperine may be natural pain relievers.
May Decrease Appetite
According to a small study, 16 adults reported lowered appetite after consuming a black pepper-based drink compared to flavored water. However, different research did not show similar effects.
A Versatile Spice
Black pepper is a popular staple in kitchens worldwide. With its subtle and bold flavor, it is versatile and can improve almost any savory dish. A dash of ground black pepper can be a flavorful seasoning for pasta dishes, cooked vegetables, meat, poultry, and fish. It also pairs well with different healthful seasonings, including garlic, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, and lemon zest.
Improve Respiratory System
Cough and cold can be healed by including this spice in herbal tea and consumed 2-3 times a day. Having dishes made with black pepper is helpful in winter and increases phlegm removal from the body. Black pepper with honey stops chest congestion. One can include crushed black pepper to warm water with eucalyptus oil drops and breath in the steam to remove chest congestion.
Black Pepper Oil Skin Benefits
Black pepper stops a skin pigmentation disease known as vitiligo. This condition makes the skin white. There are different chemical-rich medicines found in the market to restore skin color. However, one should know that black pepper is loaded with a pipeline that helps in restoring the natural color of skin. It also assures that the chances of skin cancer occurring due to overexposure to chemicals are lowered.
Black pepper is utilized for skin allergy and skin rash, you also utilize black pepper as a scrub to remove dead skin.
Black Pepper Useful For Blood Circulation
Skin deformation like wrinkles prevents if one includes black pepper in their diet from a young age. The occurrence of premature aging, dark spots are also controlled if one consumes black pepper in cooked or raw form.
Consuming black pepper ensure blood circulation to different parts of the body. It also rejuvenates the skin. Skin disorders like acne are managed if one includes black pepper in their diet. The skin exfoliation can be performed by crushing some black pepper and using it on the skin.
Black Pepper Helps for Hair Fall and Hair Regrowth
Black pepper is utilized in the dandruff treatment. Crush the black pepper and mix with curd and then use it on the scalp. Leave it for 30 minutes before washing it off. Ensure that extra black pepper is not utilized as it can cause burn on the scalp.
One should not utilize shampoo for 24 hours for black pepper to see its effects. Include lime to crushed black pepper and use it on the scalp. When left for 30 minutes before washing it off, the mix will make the hair shiny. Include curd with black pepper for hair loss problems, one of the effective home remedies. Even black pepper oil is utilized to stop hair loss and regrow hair.
Black Pepper Side Effects
Black pepper is discovered to cause stomach burns when consumed in large quantities. When large quantities of black pepper go into the lungs, it may lead to death. Black pepper is caused a burning sensation inside the stomach in some people, and they should check the quantity of black pepper being eaten before discarding it completely. Crushed black pepper can also cause a burning sensation in the eyes if it by chance goes in the eyes. Make sure to wash hands after using the black pepper, and it is good to use a soap for the same. There are some cases in which black pepper reacts with medicine. Black pepper may lead to irritation in pregnant females and may cause some allergies to breastfeeding mothers.
Eating too much black pepper can cause gastrointestinal problems and stomach problems.
It can cause miscarriage during pregnancy
Direct application of more black pepper on the skin may affect the skin
Useful Tip
Ensure to drink at least half a cup of water after eating black pepper. You should also add half a cup of fat-free yogurt to your diet to soothe the intestinal walls. It is suggested that you watch your meal portion sizes and perform a light stretching workout each day to lower your weight fast.
Caution
Eating too much black pepper can seriously affect you and therefore if you feel uneasy and a burning sensation in the stomach persists, stop the use of this spice immediately.
The best things in life come in small packages and when it comes to weight loss, the black pepper works. Not only does it increase your metabolism and stop fat cell differentiation, but it will also help remove other health problems. Therefore, begin using this natural and effective weight loss ingredient and result.
Black Pepper: Origin And Cultivation
Black pepper is one of the most popular spices. It originates from the Western ghats of India. It is botanical name is Piper Nigrum. Black pepper is also popular as the king of spices. Pepper is majorly grown in part of Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, and Andaman & Nicobar. It belongs to the Piperaceae family, grown for its fruits which are called Peppercorn.
Majorly, pepper cultivation is found in the tropics of Southeast Asia, Africa, Indonesia, and some parts of the Western Hemisphere. The pepper plant needs a long rainy season, a fairly high temperature, a partial shade for its growth. The spice is also called black gold because of the international trade factor.
Black pepper and its active synthesis piperine may have strong antioxidants and properties of anti-inflammation. Laboratory research recommends that black pepper may enhance cholesterol levels, brain, blood sugar control, and gut health.
Despite these promising findings, more research in humans is required to better understand the exact health benefits of black pepper and it is concentrated extracts.