Black pepper

[Guest guest]

At 01:34 PM 1/23/04, you wrote:

>5 ml for $18 - (Piper nigrum) doesn't say where its from

>

>yours says same thing piper nigrum from Madagascar - any chance you know

>where they get theirs?

 

 

they don't like to make details of their oils...little things like plant

part used or country of origin... they don't think it's necessary to let

you know...

 

but most of what's on the market is from Madagascar.

 

(and $18 for five mls??? that's our price for 15!)

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

Black pepper is available whole or crushed. 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 stays fresh for only three months.

Pepper can also be frozen although this will make its flavor more

pronounced.

[Guest guest]

Also black pepper dumped on a cut will stop the bleeding. Joel Graedon reported

this in his column. ng

 

Thanks!

JoAnn

-

JoAnn Guest

Sunday, November 12, 2006 10:56 PM

Black pepper

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.