Is black pepper healthy?
Black pepper, indispensable in the kitchen. But is it healthy? And does it have medicinal effects? Learn more in our article.
Is black pepper healthy?
Sure! Black pepper is almost calorie-free, allowing you to add more flavor to your meals in a healthy way. Plus, it’s packed with antioxidants, which can protect your body against disease.
What is black pepper?
Let’s start at the beginning. What exactly is black pepper? Black pepper is truly a global spice.
The black peppercorns are obtained from the black pepper plant, a flowering vine belonging to the Piperaceae family.
This plant is a perennial and tropical plant that can grow up to 9 meters tall. It grows in countries such as India, Malaysia and Brazil.
The pepperberry has a length of 2 to 6 mm and is dried. The taste of black pepper is spicy and rough. The degree of spiciness of black pepper depends on the processing method and the way it is grown.
White peppercorns are made by fermenting ripe pepperberry in water for two weeks and removing the outer skin of the pepperberry. This gives the pepper a milder taste [1]. Black pepper is used for spicy food and curries because of its sharp taste and spicy taste. A dish with steak and chicken is also often seasoned with these grains. However, it is not as spicy as red pepper.
What is the nutritional value of black pepper?
Below you can read the nutritional value of a teaspoon (1 gram) of black pepper.
- 3 kcal energy
- 0g fat
- 0 g saturated fat
- 0.1 g protein
- 0.4 g carbohydrates
- 0.3 g fiber
- 0 g salt
What nutrients does black pepper contain?
Are you curious about what exactly you get with a pinch of black pepper? Below you can read exactly which nutrients are contained in a teaspoon (1 gram) of black pepper.
| Nutrient | Quantity | Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) |
| Potassium | 13 mg | 3500 mg |
| Calcium | 4 mg | Men and women 18-24 years: 1000 mg Men 25-69 years and women 25-49 years 950 mg Women 60-69 years 1100 mg |
| Magnesium | 0 mg | Men 350 mg Women 300 mg |
| Iron | 0.2mg | Men and women who do not menstruate 11 g Women who do menstruate 16 mg* |
| Selenium | 0 µg | 70 µg |
| Zinc | 0 ug | Men (>18 years) 9 ug Women (>18 years) 7 ug Pregnant women 9.1 ug Breastfeeding women 11 ug |
| Vitamin A | 1 ug | Men 800 μg Women 680 μg |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 10 μg >70 years People with tanned skin People who rarely go outside and/or cover their hands and face 20 μg |
| Vitamin E | 0 mg | Men 13 mg Women 11 mg |
| Thiamine (vitamin B1) | 0 mg | 0.1mg |
| Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 0 mg | 1.6mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0 mg | Men and women 1.5 mg Men >50 years 1.8 mg |
| Folic acid | 0 µg | 300 μg Pregnant and lactating women 400 μg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | 2.8 μg |
| Niacin | 0 mg | 16 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 75 mg |
| Iodine | 0 µg | 150 μg Pregnant and/or lactating women 200 μg. |
| Phosphorus | 2mg [2] | 550 mg (>18 years) [3] |
What are the health benefits of black pepper?
Now to the interesting part: how does black pepper contribute to our health? Black pepper has some impressive benefits. One of the most powerful substances is piperine, an antioxidant. Are you curious yet? Then read on to discover all the health benefits of pepper!
It contains antioxidants
Black pepper is full of antioxidants. Antioxidants can protect our body against various (chronic) diseases, such as cancer. These substances scavenge free radicals, which can cause damage to cells and tissues. This damage could lead to disease in the long term.
Free radicals are harmful substances that are caused by unhealthy lifestyle factors (such as smoking) and normal body processes.
A healthy seasoning
Black pepper contains hardly any calories. This makes it a healthy seasoning. Moreover, it does not contain salt, which has many health disadvantages.
If you consume too much salt, you have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and kidney disease, among other things. The average Dutch person already consumes more than the recommended maximum amount of salt (6 grams per day).
It may have an anti-inflammatory effect
Due to the presence of antioxidants, black pepper may have anti-inflammatory properties, which is one reason why some people consider it medicinal.
This anti-inflammatory effect is mainly attributed to the antioxidant piperine, the most powerful antioxidant in black pepper. This health benefit has been shown in various studies.
For example, rats showed less joint swelling and fewer signs of inflammation when given piperine. However, it is a pity that no studies have currently been conducted on humans to confirm this effect.
Chronic inflammation may be an underlying cause of various diseases, such as arthritis (joint disease), cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Possibly good for your brain
There is some evidence that black pepper is good for your brain. For example, rats with Alzheimer’s that were given piperine had fewer symptoms of the disease. This was also the case in rats with Parkinson’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. The disease is getting worse and damages more and more brain cells. This makes it increasingly difficult for a person to understand, remember, reason and communicate.
In Parkinson’s disease, certain brain cells die. This causes someone to behave and feel differently. Movement also deteriorates due to stiffness and trembling, among other things.
Could improve insulin sensitivity
Some animal studies show evidence that black pepper may improve insulin sensitivity. If insulin sensitivity deteriorates, the body does not respond well to insulin. Insulin is a hormone that ensures that sugar can be transported to the cells in the body.
If someone does not respond well to insulin, the sugar remains in the blood longer, resulting in high blood sugar levels for longer. This can cause inflammation, extra hunger and weight gain, among other things.
For example, the insulin sensitivity of 86 overweight people improved in an eight-week study by taking black pepper. However, other plant substances were also used in this study, so it is not clear whether the effect is due to the black pepper. It must also be investigated whether this effect occurs in everyone.
RESUME
Pepper contains antioxidants, which can protect your body against diseases. Many of the health benefits of pepper still need more research, but current studies show promising results.
Can you lose weight with black pepper?
Unfortunately, black pepper has no health benefits that make it easier to lose weight. However, it is a good choice if you want to lose weight, because it contains hardly any calories. Would you like to lose weight? Then follow our free weight loss training.
How much black pepper per day?
You only need a very small amount of spices such as pepper. If you use too much black pepper, this can give your dish a rough or spicy taste. Therefore, stick to a pinch to a few teaspoons of black pepper per day.
Conclusion
Black pepper is a healthy spice. You can add it to many different dishes without having to worry about it adding more calories to your meal. Black pepper also contains no salt, which makes it even healthier.
The antioxidants are said to protect us against conditions such as cardiovascular disease. This health benefit also applies to many other spices, such as turmeric . However, many other claimed health benefits of black pepper still need more research.
