Pepper is a spice that adds a spicy, aromatic and flavorful touch to any dish. But, its properties go beyond the gastronomic, since recent scientific evidence shows that it could also offer multiple health benefits. Here we review and tell you all its benefits.
There are different types of pepper: black, white, green, pink or red, to name a few examples. They are all different berries or preserved seeds from the same plant: Piper nigrum. The specialists assure that it is also important how you incorporate it in each meal, for stews and stews, it is ideal in grain, while, for meat, fish or sauce, the ground is much better.
Small but powerful
In ancient times, pepper was so important that it was not only used as a condiment, it also served as currency and as an offering to the gods. In recent years, scientific research found that this species contains significant levels of vitamins A, C, and K, folate and choline, and minerals, such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium. This allows you to offer different benefits:
1. Improves digestion
Black pepper contains piperine, a compound that naturally stimulates the release of digestive enzymes from the pancreas, so that the nutrients in pepper-flavored foods are better digested.
2. Fight gases
Everyone suffers from flatulence or intestinal gas from time to time. A good recipe to combat them is to season dishes with pepper. When consumed, the secretion of hydrochloric acid is stimulated, essential for digesting food and thus preventing the proliferation of bacteria that cause gastrointestinal disorders.
3. Against gastric ulcer
These occur when acids that help digest food damage the stomach lining, however piperine may help prevent them. As different studies show, this spice would decrease the production of gastric acids, reducing heartburn, the risk of ulcers and facilitating their treatment.
4. Promotes weight loss
Among the benefits of piperine, it was found that it could also increase the rate of metabolism and promote the burning of calories. There is even research that found that this potential would be equivalent to walking 20 minutes at a moderate pace.
5. Powerful against the flu
When you have a cold or flu, one of the home remedies you can use is pepper. This spice helps relieve symptoms thanks to one of its components, capsaicin, a substance that stimulates secretions that help loosen mucus and clear breathing.
6. Ally against cancer
If you like to spice up your dishes with a pinch of pepper, you could be protecting yourself against certain types of cancer. This was reported by different trials, which found that the piperine in black pepper would be able to hinder the growth of cells that promotes tumor growth.
7. Analgesic effect
A powerful natural pain reliever may be hiding in your kitchen. Piperine, in addition to the aforementioned properties, also helps reduce pain, due to the fact that it activates the transient potential receptor V1, also known as TRPV1. This plays a role in the transmission and modulation of pain.