Table of contents:
- Black pepper at a glance
- Benefits of black pepper for health
- 1. Potential to reduce inflammation
- 2. Helps fight free radicals
- 3. Potential against bacterial infection
- 4. Improve the digestive system
- 5. Maintain brain health
- 6. Potential to prevent cancer
Apart from chilies, black pepper is often used to add a spicy taste to food. It turns out that in addition to enhancing the taste of food, this spice also contains various active compounds that nourish the body. In fact, what are the benefits of black pepper for health? Come on, see more clearly the following benefits.
Black pepper at a glance
Black pepper comes from a plant with a Latin name Piper nigrum . Small round shape and when eaten will taste bitter, hot, and spicy in the mouth.
Usually, this kitchen spice is used to replace chili or added to make the food taste spicy.
Based on Nutrition Value data, black pepper contains various nutrients such as vitamins A, B, and K as well as important minerals, including potassium, calcium, copper, iron, and manganese.
Benefits of black pepper for health
Well, from these nutrients it can be concluded that consuming black pepper can provide health benefits. Following are the properties of pepper according to studies in journals Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition , as:
1. Potential to reduce inflammation
Inflammation occurs when the body's immune system tries to fight off a disease.
This condition usually occurs naturally, especially when you are injured. With inflammation, the body will try to renew the cells so that you recover quickly.
Unfortunately, there is inflammation that occurs in the long run. Inflammation like this can lead to the development of rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.
Studies show that black pepper has active compounds that are anti-inflammatory (anti-inflammatory). You do this by inhibiting the production of certain enzymes that cause inflammation in the body.
2. Helps fight free radicals
Black pepper contains antioxidants that provide benefits to the body in fighting free radicals.
In this study it is known that there is antioxidant activity in black pepper piperine, which inhibits the action of free radicals.
Free radicals are molecules that can damage cells, proteins, and DNA, causing various health problems, such as cancer, premature aging, and atherosclerosis.
You can be exposed to free radicals from various sources, such as pollution, cigarette smoke, sunlight, and factory chemicals.
3. Potential against bacterial infection
Infections in the body are not only caused by viruses or fungi, but also bacteria. Well, black pepper is one of the spices that has the benefit of stopping the growth of certain bacteria.
Studies have found that black pepper extract can inhibit the spread of bacteria Staphylococcus , Bacillus and Streptococcus .
If these bacteria infect the body can cause sepsis (bacterial infection in the blood), impetigo (bacterial infection of the skin follicles), sore throat, and meningitis.
The antibacterial properties of black pepper can also be used in food so that it doesn't rot easily.
4. Improve the digestive system
In traditional medicine, black pepper is used to treat digestive problems.
The piperine compound contained in black pepper can help enzyme production and increase the absorption of potassium, selenium, B vitamins, beta-carotene, and methionine ions in the intestine.
The benefits of black pepper are not only that, its active ingredients can also protect the lining of the intestine from oxidation stress and the results of gastric secretions.
5. Maintain brain health
The brain is the central nervous system that regulates all body performance. The older a person gets or the problem makes brain function decrease.
It is known that the active compound piperine in black pepper has an effect not much different from antidepressants, which is to reduce stress.
Apart from the antioxidants contained in black pepper, it also helps the brain function better.
6. Potential to prevent cancer
The next benefit of black pepper is that it has the potential to prevent cancer. Cancer is a condition of abnormal cells that can attack cells or tissues in the body.
The piperine compound in black pepper is known to have anticancer properties. Piperine can control certain proteins that are responsible for regulating the cell cycle in the body to stay healthy.
Then, this compound also protects the colon from cancer cell growth by reducing the activity of β-glucuronidase and mucinase, which are enzymes in the digestive tract.
x
