Pepper, a spice that is not missing in the kitchen of almost anyone, around the entire world. The history of pepper is fascinating, but in addition to flavoring the food, it turns out that we can also use it for other things. Do you dare to continue?
Pepper, much better than you imagine
Let's talk a little bit about its history and its characteristics. It is native to India, and its scientific name is Piper nigrum , family of the piperáceas . It is cultivated for its fruit, which is what we eat, and we distinguish three types, all of the same plant differentiated only by the degree of maturation: green , which is picked when the fruit is green; the black one , the most used one, which is at a mid point, and the white one , which is already mature and to which the black shell is removed.
It was introduced in Greece by Alexander the Great , and there is a legend that tells about the first European who brought this wonderful spice to Europe, Eudoxus of Cyzicus .
The Arabs monopolized the trade in pepper and other spices for centuries, but after the fall of the Byzantine Empire, that is, early in the early Middle Ages, Venice was the city that distributed and collected gold to pay East for the pepper and other spices.
It was so expensive and so rare that it was used as a currency for much of the Middle Ages. Precisely because of this the Portuguese , the most qualified European explorers of that time, sought new routes around Africa.
"Normal" uses
Of course, in the food. But do you know that in the Middle Ages they ground it and added it to food to counteract the taste of decomposition ? Although they also used it to reduce the use of salt , a custom that has come down to us.
Curious uses
This tiny grain contains in itself extraordinary beneficial properties for health , so numerous and good that it will surprise you.
Fight cancer, heart disease and liver problems
Because of its antioxidants, and as it is rich in potassium, it helps to correct blood circulation, improving the functions of the heart and regulating blood pressure. As it also has fiber, it normalizes intestinal transit because it favors the digestive processes in the stomach.To lose weight
Hippocrates already said it: "Let your food be your medicine, and let your medicine be your food". For a few years, paleo diet has become a real trend , which we have already discussed in another article . Among many other things, this diet uses natural foods that our Paleolithic ancestors used to use, and numerous ingredients with thermogenic capacities have been discovered , that is, they produce heat in the body and burn calories, even without training. In other words, they increase the rate of metabolism .
This is the case of some species, such as chili, ginger or pepper. So adding freshly ground pepper to your meals will make you lose or keep the weight. And it will help you better absorb other nutrients, such as vitamin B and beta-carotene.Coughs and colds
For the cough is currently used as a home remedy, and you just have to prepare an infusion with the peppercorns.
Formerly it was used to treat chronic bronchitis, but also to treat gonorrhea . Curious!Muscle aches and arthritis
The essential oil of pepper serves to massage. The heat caused by the spice will relax the muscles and relax them, and it will also relieve the arthritic pains. But it also has the ability to calm cramps, sprains and muscle pulls ...For vitiligo
Recent studies have shown that it is feasible to reverse the process of skin whitening, a disease known as vitiligo . This disease does not cause any pain but prevents the melanocytes from doing their job, which is to give color to the skin, so they begin to appear white spots on hands, arms, stomach and face, which gradually widen.
For a preparation of olive oil with pepper and moderate exposure to the sun have yielded satisfactory results for those who suffer from vitiligo. You just have to boil the oil with whole grains and ground pepper, cook very slowly and then store tightly in a glass jar.
With a cotton ball you rub the stains with the oil and the ground pepper, you put in the morning sun for 5 or 10 minutes and after two hours or more with the preparation on, you take it off with a lot of water. Sure, you have to do it every day, but the effort seems worth it.
As a curious fact, we must say that pepper gas , although it bears his name, is not made with this spice but with the capsaicin extracted from chili .
As you can see, pepper serves many more things than just flavoring the dishes. Do you know any other application that you want to share?