Cabbage soup- Benefits of Black Pepper

[Guest guest]

I was curious about the benefits of black pepper too, so I did a web

search and this is some of what I found..

Enjoy

Misty

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice & dbid=74

 

Benefits of Black Pepper:

 

Black pepper

A pinch of black pepper is added to almost every type of recipe

imaginable. Once used as currency and presented to the gods as a

sacred offering, it is fortunate that this most popular of spices is

available throughout the year.

 

Black pepper comes from the pepper plant, a smooth woody vine that

can grow up to 33 feet in hot and humid tropical climates. They

begin to bear small white clustered flowers after 3 to 4 years and

develop into berries known as peppercorns. Ground peppercorns

produce the spice we call pepper.

 

Benefits

 

Improve Digestion and Promote Intestinal Health

 

Black pepper (Piper nigrum)stimulates the taste buds in such a way

that an alert is sent to to the stomach to increase hydrochloric

acid secretion, thereby improving digestion. Hydrochloric acid is

necessary for the digestion of proteins and other food components in

the stomach. When the body's production of hydrochloric acid is

insufficient, food may sit in the stomach for an extended period of

time, leading to heartburn or indigestion, or it may pass into the

intestines, where it can be used as a food source for unfriendly gut

bacteria, whose activities produce gas, irritation, and/or diarrhea

or constipation.

 

Black pepper has long been recognized as a carminitive, (a substance

that helps prevent the formation of intestinal gas), a property

likely due to its beneficial effect of stimulating hydrochloric acid

production. In addition, black pepper has diaphoretic (promotes

sweating), and diuretic (promotes urination) properties.

 

Black pepper has demonstrated impressive antioxidant and

antibacterial effects--yet another way in which this wonderful

seasoning promotes the health of the digestive tract. And not only

does black pepper help you derive the most benefit from your food,

the outer layer of the peppercorn stimulates the breakdown of fat

cells, keeping you slim while giving you energy to burn.

 

Description

 

Black pepper comes from the berries of the pepper plant. Black

pepper, green pepper and white peppercorns are actually the same

fruit (Piper nigrum); the difference in their color is a reflection

of varying stages of development and processing methods.

 

Black peppercorns are made by picking the pepper berries when they

are half ripe and just about to turn red. They are then left to dry

which causes them to shrivel and become dark in color.

Alternatively, green peppercorns are picked while still unripe and

green in color, while white peppercorns are picked when very ripe

and subsequently soaked in brine to remove their dark outer shell

leaving just the white pepper seed.

 

Pink peppercorns are actually from a completely different plant

species (Schinus molle) that is related to ragweed.

 

Black pepper is the most pungent and flavorful of all types of

peppers and it is available as whole or cracked peppercorns or

ground into powder.

 

History

 

Native to India, pepper has played a very important role throughout

history and has been a prized spice since ancient times. Since

ancient Greece, pepper has held such high prestige that it was not

only used as a seasoning but as a currency and a sacred offering.

Pepper was used to both honor the gods and to pay taxes and ransoms.

During the fall of ancient Rome, the invading barbarians were even

honored by being given black pepper. Additionally, in the Middle

Ages the wealth of a man was oftentimes measured by his stockpile of

pepper.

 

The reason that pepper was so cherished is that it served important

culinary purposes. Not only could its pungency spice up otherwise

bland foods, but it could disguise a food's lack of freshness, the

latter being an especially important quality in the times before

efficient means of preservation.

 

Pepper became an important spice that catalyzed much of the spice

trade. This not only led to exploration of many undiscovered lands,

but also to the development of major merchant cities in Europe and

the Middle East.

 

Today, the major commercial producers of pepper are India and

Indonesia.

 

How to Select and Store

 

Black pepper is available whole, crushed or ground into powder. To

ensure best flavor, buy whole peppercorns and grind them yourself in

a mill just before adding to a recipe. In addition to superior

flavor, buying whole peppercorns will help to ensure that you are

purchasing unadulterated pepper since ground pepper is oftentimes

mixed with other spices. Whole peppercorns should be heavy, compact

and free of any blemishes.

 

Even through dried herbs and spices like black pepper are widely

available in supermarkets, you may want to explore the local spice

stores in your area. Oftentimes, these stores feature an expansive

selection of dried herbs and spices that are of superior quality and

freshness than those offered in regular markets. Just like with

other dried spices, when purchasing black pepper try to select that

which is organically grown since this will give you more assurance

that it has not been irradiated (among other potential adverse

effects, irradiating black pepper may lead to a significant decrease

in its vitamin C content.)

 

Black pepper should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in a

cool, dark and dry place. Whole peppercorns will keep almost

indefinitely, while ground pepper will stay fresh for about three

months. Pepper can also be frozen although this will make its flavor

more pronounced.

 

How to Enjoy

 

For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes.

 

Tips for Preparing Black Pepper:

Add pepper that you have freshly ground in a mill at the end of the

cooking process. Since it loses its flavor and aroma if cooked for

too long, adding it near the end will help to preserve its flavor.

 

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Coat steaks with crushed peppercorns before cooking to create the

classic dish, steak au poivre.

 

As the pungent taste of black pepper is a natural complement to the

deep, berry-like flavor of venison, use it to flavor this meat when

preparing venison steaks or venison stews.

 

Keep a pepper mill on your dining table so that you can add its

intense spark to a host of different recipes that you prepare.

 

Olive oil, lemon juice, salt and cracked pepper make a delicious

salad dressing.

 

Safety

 

Black pepper is not a commonly allergenic food, is not known to

contain measurable amounts of goitrogens, oxalates, or purines, and

is also not included in the Environmental Working Group's 2003

report " Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce " as one of the 12

foods most frequently containing pesticide residues.

 

Nutritional Profile

 

Black pepper is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source

of iron and a good source of dietary fiber. For an in-depth

nutritional profile Black pepper.

 

In-Depth Nutritional Profile

 

In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-

depth nutritional profile for Black pepper is also available. This

profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including

carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins,

minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

 

The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is

either an excellent, very good or good source. Next to the nutrient

name you will find the following information: the amount of the

nutrient that is included in the noted serving of this food; the %

Daily Value (DV) that that amount represents; the nutrient density

rating; and the food's World's Healthiest Foods Rating. Underneath

the chart is a table that summarizes how the ratings were devised.

Read detailed information on our Food and Recipe Rating System.

Black pepper

2.00 tsp

10.88 calories

Nutrient Amount DV

(%) Nutrient

Density World's Healthiest

Foods Rating

manganese 0.24 mg 12.0 19.9 excellent

vitamin K 6.88 mcg 8.6 14.2 very good

iron 1.24 mg 6.9 11.4 very good

dietary fiber 1.12 g 4.5 7.4 good

World's Healthiest

Foods Rating Rule

excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%

very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%

good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%

 

In Depth Nutritional Profile for Black pepper

 

References

 

Abila B, Richens A, Davies JA. Anticonvulsant effects of extracts of

the west African black pepper, Piper guineense. J Ethnopharmacol

1993 Jun;39(2):113-7, PMID: 16400

Ao P, Hu S, Zhao A. [Essential oil analysis and trace element study

of the roots of Piper nigrum L.]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 1998

Jan;23(1):42-3, 63, PMID: 16370

Calucci L, Pinzino C, Zandomeneghi M et al. Effects of gamma-

irradiation on the free radical and antioxidant contents in nine

aromatic herbs and spices. J Agric Food Chem 2003 Feb 12; 51(4):927-

34 2003

Dorman HJ, Deans SG. Antimicrobial agents from plants: antibacterial

activity of plant volatile oils. J Appl Microbiol 2000 Feb;88(2):308-

16, PMID: 16390

Ensminger AH, Ensminger, ME, Kondale JE, Robson JRK. Foods &

Nutriton Encyclopedia. Pegus Press, Clovis, California 1983

Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition

Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986, PMID: 15210

Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia.

Macmillan, New York 1996

Grieve M. A Modern Herbal. Dover Publications, New York 1971

Mujumdar AM, Dhuley JN, Deshmukh VK, et al. Anti-inflammatory

activity of piperine. Jpn J Med Sci Biol 1990 Jun;43(3):95-100,

PMID: 16380

Murray MT. The Healing Power of Foods. Prima Publishing, Rocklin,

CA, 1993, pp. 211-212 1993

Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-

Hall Press; 1988, PMID: 15220

 

, " bodelva7 "

<vergil7 wrote:

>

> , " alpha_har "

> <alpha_har@> wrote:

> >

> > I am curious; what medicinal value has de Black Pepper ? none I

> > believe, then why even listed here ??