25 Amazing Benefits of White Pepper

Both white pepper and black pepper are the flowers of the same shrub and differ from each other in terms of taste, color, Aroma, processing technique, and as well as the benefits they provide. Like black pepper, white pepper is also native to South India. It is also known by some other names such as ‘safed mirch’ in Hindi, ‘Tella miriyalu’ in Telugu, ‘Velai melaku’ in Tamil, ‘Bili menasu’ in Kannada, ‘Safed Mari’ in Gujarat, and ‘Paandri Miri’ in Marathi.

Health Benefits Of White Pepper

White pepper is an excellent source of many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, polyphenols and dietary fibers, etc that provides numerous benefits ranging from better digestion, oral care, diabetes care, weight loss, cardiovascular issues, and so on. In this article, we will know about some of the major benefits of white pepper.

1. Provides Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Inflammation plays an important role in the healing of wounds and injury as it is our body’s way of dealing with injuries. It is during the inflammation, our body works on repairing the cells and tissues that get damaged during an injury or wound. During inflammation, our body also takes care of the foreign microbes that may worsen the injury.

However, inflammation is a double-edged sword, and our bodies do their best to keep inflammation in control. However, some inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism, and gouts, etc. can interfere with this.

White pepper is very beneficial for providing relief from the pain and inflammation caused by inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism, rheumatoid, gouts, asthma, and bronchial asthma. The anti-inflammatory properties of the white pepper are due to the presence of capsaicin in it.

2. Natural Pain-Relieving Agent

White pepper is a natural pain-relieving agent that provides relief from the muscular pain that one may experience during injury. This advantage of white pepper is due to the presence of capsaicin in it. Capsicum is a hot substance that is known for generating heat in the body.

The heat so generated by the capsaicin helps in the recovery of the damaged tissues of the body.

Because of the pain-relieving property of the capsaicin, it is added to pain-relieving gels and sprays.

3. Prevents Cancer

White pepper is very beneficial for reducing the risk of various types of cancers due to the presence of antioxidants and other antioxidantal compounds like phytonutrients and polyphenols in them.

The antioxidants and the related compounds present in the white pepper fights with the free radicals in our body, stabilize them, and prevents them from causing oxidative damage to our cells and tissues, and thus reduces the risk of various cancers such as colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and abdominal cancer, etc.

In research conducted by the University of Nottingham and the American Association of Cancer Research, it was found that the capsaicin present in the white pepper was effective for killing some of the cancer cells, and is very beneficial against prostate cancer.

4. Promotes Weight Loss

White pepper is also beneficial for people who are on a weight loss journey and would like to get rid of some extra pounds.

This advantage of white pepper is because of the presence of capsaicin in it. Capsaicin in the white pepper accelerates the rate at which fat cells are burned by the body, and thus helps with weight loss. Because of its fat-burning abilities, it is common to add it to most weight loss medicines and solutions.

The dietary fibers in the white pepper also help with weight loss because they provide satiety to our stomach. In other words, it gives a feeling of fullness to our stomach, decreases overeating which is a common cause of obesity.

One teaspoon of white pepper contains around 7 calories of energy, which means when you consume them, you don’t need to worry about calorie overload.

5. Strengthens Immune System

White pepper is very beneficial for strengthening our immune system.

Our Immune system plays an important role in keeping us healthy as it is the defense mechanism of our body that protects us from disease-causing microbes such as bacterias, viruses, fungus, and parasites, etc.

Even when we get sick or get injured, our immune system does its best to make us healthy again.

For healthy living, it is important to take good care of our immune system, and white pepper can help in doing the same.

The antioxidants and other relevant compounds such as phytonutrients and polyphenols etc. present in the white pepper combats with the free radicals in our system, stabilizes them, and thus prevents them from causing oxidative damage to our cells, including the white blood cells that form the backbone of the immune system, and acts as the first line of defense.

By protecting white blood cells from oxidative damage, white pepper strengthens our immunity, and when our immune system is stronger, we are less likely to get infected by the cough, cold, flu, and fever, etc.

Other nutrients like vitamins and minerals in the white pepper also play a significant role in making our immune system better.

6. Cures Headache

Another advantage of white pepper is its ability to provide quick relief from headaches due to the presence of capsaicin in it.

Headache develops when neuropeptide, substance P transmits pain signals to the brain. Capsaicin present in the white pepper blocks the transmission of these pain signals and provides quick relief from the headache.

7. Natural Decongestant

White pepper is a natural decongestant that helps in clearing out the nasal tract and provides quick relief from nasal congestion.

This benefit of white pepper is because of the heat-generating ability of the capsaicin in white pepper. It cleans the air duct of the nasal tract, treats nasal infections, and helps in proper breathing.

8. Cures Cough

White pepper is good for strengthening our immune system and reduces the risk of cough and cold.

If you are already suffering from cough or cold, then also it can help in curing the same because of its antimicrobial and heat-generating properties.

For this, take some powdered white pepper and add some raw honey to it. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and then consume the mixture for quick relief from cough and sore throat. Both these compounds are antibiotic and also generate heat in the body.

9. Regulates Blood Pressure

Another advantage of white pepper is its ability to regulate our blood pressure level, and minimize the risk of hypertension.

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common health problem that affects millions of people around the world and is a leading cause of various cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, heart stroke, and coronary artery disease, etc.

This benefit of white pepper is due to the presence of the ital mineral “Potassium” in it. Potassium is a natural vasodilator that relaxes our blood vessels, regulates blood pressure, and thus provides relief from hypertension or high blood pressure.

Additionally, other compounds such as vitamin C, vitamin A, and flavonoids, etc. in the white pepper also play a significant role in keeping blood pressure under control.

10. Prevents Stomach Ulcers

White pepper is very beneficial for providing relief from stomach ulcers because of its antibacterial properties. The antibacterial properties of the white pepper help in the elimination of ulcer-causing bacteria from our stomach and intestines, and thus prevents stomach ailments such as stomach ulcers and stomach ache.

11. Provides Antioxidantal Benefits

White pepper has an abundance of antioxidants like capsaicin and other related compounds such as phytonutrients, polyphenols, and flavonoids, etc. that provides many antioxidantal benefits.

Antioxidants protect our cells and tissues from the oxidative damage caused by the free radicals, and thus reduces the risk of various cancers, and also provides other benefits such as strengthening the immune system by protecting white blood cells from oxidative damage, reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases by protecting neurons from oxidative damage and so on.

Free radicals are the unstabilized ions that form in the body during the oxidation process, and as well as due to external factors such as pollution, dirt, and harmful UV rays of the sun. As these are unstabilized, they steal electrons from the neighboring molecules and while doing so, it causes oxidative damage to them.

It protects our vital organs like the liver, kidney, heart, lungs, etc. from free radical damage, and improves the functionality of these organs.

12. Promotes Cardiovascular Health

Consuming white pepper on a regular and moderate basis is very beneficial for our heart and keeps our cardiovascular system healthy. This benefit of white pepper is mainly because of the presence of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fibers, etc in them.

Antioxidants in the white pepper protect our cardiovascular system from the oxidative damage caused by the free radicals, and thus improves its efficiency.

Potassium and other minerals in the white pepper regulate blood pressure, reduces the risk of hypertension, and thus reduces the risk of various cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, heart stroke, and so on.

White pepper is also known for its heat-generating abilities. It generates heat in the body and makes us sweat that helps in getting rid of the excessive fluids from the body. Excessive fluids in the body, especially around the heart can put a strain on our heart and affects its functionality negatively.

It can also lead to water retention in the body.

Excessive fluids in the body also put pressure on our lungs, making it difficult for us to breathe properly.

It is important to ensure that our body maintains fluids at an optimal level, and white pepper can help in doing the same.

13. Keeps Blood Sugar Under Control

White pepper is very beneficial for people with diabetes, and also for those who are on the edge of developing diabetes.

This advantage of white pepper is because of its low glycemic index of 32. Having a low glycemic index means it reduces the rate at which sugar is released into the bloodstream and thus helps in keeping blood sugar under control.

One tablespoon of white pepper provides around 4.4 grams of carbohydrates which is very low and contributes to blood sugar regulation.

Also, the dietary fibers in the white pepper slow down the rate at which sugar is absorbed by the bloodstream and thus helps in managing diabetes.

Last but not the least, white pepper is known to boost metabolism by stimulating the secretion of digestive juices in our stomach, improves digestion, and helps in regulating blood sugar levels.

A quick remedy to keep blood sugar in control is to drink a glass of milk mixed with powdered white pepper, powdered fenugreek seeds, and turmeric powder. Drinking it on a regular and moderate basis will help to keep blood sugar at the optimal level.

All the ingredients like turmeric, white pepper, and fenugreek help manage our blood sugar level.

Before making this drink a part of your life, make sure that you are not allergic to any of these ingredients. Also, excessive consumption of this drink may lower your blood sugar to an abnormally low level giving rise to hypoglycemia, identified by the symptoms such as excessive hunger, excessive sweating, pale skin, shakiness, anxiety, blurred vision, and irritability, etc.

For the safe side, it is suggested to talk to your doctor, before adding this drink to your daily routine.

14. Improves Digestive Health

White pepper is good for our stomach and improves our digestive health because of its rich nutritious profile that includes vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, polyphenols, flavonoids, and dietary fibers, etc.

The antioxidants in the White pepper protect our digestive system from the ill effects of the oxidative damage caused by the free radicals, and thus reduces the risk of colon cancer, abdominal cancer, stomach cancer, intestinal cancer, pancreas cancer, and so on.

The dietary fibers in the white pepper are a natural laxative that improves bowel movement and thus ensures smooth elimination of stool from our system, and thereby reduces the risk of constipation and other gastrointestinal issues such as abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, gas, bloating, and flatulence, etc.

White pepper also stimulates our taste buds and signals our stomach to secrete hydrochloric acid, which is essential for food digestion.

Nutrients like zinc, copper, magnesium, and manganese, etc. also play a major role in improving our digestive health.

15. Prevents Flatulence

White pepper is carminate in nature which means it is very effective for preventing the formation of gas in the intestines.

The buildup of gas in the intestines not only causes pain and discomfort but is also a sign of underlying digestive problems such as constipation, food intolerance such as lactose intolerance, Irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease or eating disorders, etc.

Because of its carminative properties, white pepper enhances the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and thus helps in carrying out proper digestion of the food. When our food is well digested, our digestive system stays healthy and provides relief from flatulence and other digestive issues.

16. Cures Toothache

White pepper is very beneficial for our oral health because of its antimicrobial properties. It is also helpful in providing relief from toothaches because of its pain-relieving properties.

For this, take a small amount of powdered white pepper in the palm of your hand, and add some clove oil or table salt to it. Mix thoroughly to form a paste (or powder) and then gently massage your teeth and gums for some time, and then wash off with room temperature water. The antimicrobial properties of the white pepper and clove oil will inhibit the growth of the bacterias in our mouth, thereby providing relief from ulcers, sores, chronic bad breath, loose teeth, inflammation of the gum, etc.

It should be noted that both clove oil and white pepper have a strong and spicy taste, and if you find it uncomfortable to use this paste on your gums or if you have any kind of allergy or if you feel any discomfort, then you should avoid it.

Also, this home remedy is not a replacement for your dentist. It can provide you quick relief from a toothache, but it is suggested to visit your dentist for a detailed diagnosis and treatment.

17. Good For Eyes

Our eyes are an important sensory organ of the body that helps us to enjoy the beauty of this world.

Age and other external factors such as pollution, free radical damage, and harmful UV rays of the sun can cause damage to our eyes.

It is therefore important for us to take good care of our eyes, and white pepper can help in doing the same.

This advantage of white pepper is mainly because of its antioxidantal properties. The antioxidants and other relevant compounds such as phytonutrients, polyphenols, and flavonoids, etc. present in the white pepper protect our eyes from the oxidative damage caused by the free radicals, and thus minimizes the risk of age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and glaucoma, etc.

White pepper is also a good source of vitamin A, which is an essential mineral that protects the cornea (surface) of the eyes, and thus helps with vision. Deficiency of vitamin A may cause damage to the cornea and thus increases the risk of night blindness and dryness of the cornea.

Other nutrients like zinc, vitamin B complex, and iron, etc. also play a significant role in keeping our eyes healthy.

A simple remedy for reducing the risk of cataract development involves mixing white pepper and almonds in a 1:5 ratio and adding some brown sugar and ghee to it. Mix them thoroughly and consume them regularly.

The mixture is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats, and other compounds necessary for keeping our eyes healthy, and for reducing the risk of cataract development.

Beauty Benefits Of White Pepper For Skin

Being an excellent source of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, polyphenols, flavonoids, and dietary fibers, etc., white pepper provides several benefits for our health and skin. We have already covered the amazing health benefits provided by white pepper, and in this article, we will know about the major beauty benefits of white pepper. Because of its heat-generating properties, it is advisable to be cautious while using white pepper directly on the skin, however, consumption of white pepper regularly and on a moderate basis provides many beauty benefits. Some of the ways, white pepper can help our skin are as follows:-

1. Prevents Skin Cancer

Another advantage of white pepper is its ability to reduce the risk of some forms of skin cancer.

This benefit of white pepper is also because of its antioxidantal properties.

The antioxidantal compounds in the white pepper are very effective for protecting our skin cells from the free radical damage caused by the harmful UV rays of the sun.

Excessive exposure to UV rays of the sun is bad for us as it can cause premature aging such as wrinkles and fine lines, liver spots, actinic keratosis, and solar elastosis, etc.

UV rays can also damage our eyes, and increase the risk of various cancers.

Although white pepper is good against skin cancer, it should be noted that it is only effective in preventing some forms of skin cancers. It can’t cure them. UV rays of the sun are just one of the several factors that can cause skin cancers. So, it is advisable to take the opinion of a skin expert before trying out any remedy.

2. Reduces The Risk Of Premature Aging

When we are young, we mostly have soft and flawless skin. As we age, our skin starts showing signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, and dark spots, etc. It’s quite common and there is nothing to worry about.

However, some internal and external factors such as free radical damage, pollution, harmful UV rays of the sun, stress, toxins, etc. can cause damage to our skin, and thereby increasing the risk of development of signs of premature aging at an early stage.

White pepper is very beneficial for keeping our skin healthy and for reducing the risk of various signs of premature aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, dark spots and skin blemishes, etc. This advantage of white pepper is mainly because of the antioxidants and other antioxidantal compounds such as phytonutrients, flavonoids, and polyphenols in them.

These compounds fight against the free radicals in our body, stabilizes them, and prevents them from causing oxidative damage to our skin cells, and thus reduces the risk of premature aging.

White pepper is also loaded with other nutrients such as zinc, iron, copper, vitamin B complex, etc. that help in maintaining our skin health.

3. Natural Skin Exfoliator

White pepper is a wonderful skin exfoliator that can be used as a scrub for the removal of dead skin cells from the skin.

Timely removal of dead skin cells is important as it provides many benefits such as unclogging of pores, prevents acne, helps deeper penetration of skincare products, improves skin tone, improves blood circulation in the skin, stimulates collagen synthesis, and last but not the least improves the radiance of the skin by clearing out the path for the new skin cells.

To use white pepper for skin exfoliation, it is recommended to use freshly crushed white pepper. This scrub will remove dead skin cells and as well as toxins and other impurities from your skin pores, thereby making your skin soft, radiant, and healthy. Also, the antioxidants in the white pepper will protect your skin from free radical damage, and boosts blood circulation in the skin, and make you look fresh and energetic.

4. May Cures Vitiligo

White pepper is very effective against vitiligo.

Vitiligo is a skin condition in which the skin starts losing pigmentation at various places, and white patches start developing in those areas.

The piperine present in the white pepper is very effective against vitiligo and may help in the prevention and cure of some form of vitiligo at an early stage.

It is one of the safest and effective methods for treating vitiligo as it doesn’t involve harmful chemicals and has almost no side effects.

5. Prevents Acne

Acne is a common skin problem that affects millions of people around the world. It is mainly caused by the clogging of our skin pores due to the accumulation of toxins, pollutants, dirt, and impurities, etc.

White pepper is very beneficial for preventing us from the skin problems such as acne and pimples due to the presence of dietary fibers in them.

The dietary fibers in the white pepper help in the removal of toxins and other impurities from our system, and when there are fewer toxins in our system, they don’t accumulate in our skin pores, and thus reduces the risk of acne and pimples.

It also helps in slowing down the secretion of excess oil from the glands of the skin, which could otherwise worsen the acne problem.

Other nutrients like zinc, iron, copper, and magnesium, etc also help in maintaining our skin health, and thus minimizes the risk of acne and pimples.

6. Helps In Removal Of Unwanted Hair From The Skin

White pepper is also effective for the removal of unwanted hair from the skin. For this, mix some powdered white pepper and powdered camphor oil, and add some almond oil to it. Mix the ingredients properly, and then apply the mixture to the skin. Let the mixture stay there for 10-15 minutes. This will help in the removal of the skin hair.

Before giving it a go, it is better to try this mixture on a small area of the skin to ensure that it suits your skin type, and you are not allergic to any of the ingredients of the mixture.

Also, only use this mixture on hands and legs, and not on the tender parts such as the underarm. This is because the heating nature of the white pepper may cause a burning sensation at the soft and delicate skin of the underarm.

Beauty Benefits Of White Pepper For Hair

The beauty benefits of the white pepper are not just limited to our skin, and they are equally beneficial for our hair follicles and scalp. Some of the ways, white pepper can strengthen our hair and improves our scalp health are as follows:-

1. Natural Hair Revitalizer

White pepper when used in combination with lemon seeds works as a natural hair revitalizer that nourishes our hair follicles and scalp, and makes our hair strong, soft, and lustrous.

For this, take some powdered white pepper and powdered lemon seeds together, and add some water to it. Now massage your scalp with this mixture, and let it air dry for 10-15 minutes, and then wash off with water.

2. Effective Against Dandruff

Dandruff is a common scalp problem that affects people all around the world. There are hundreds of cosmetic products available in the market that claim to help with the treatment of dandruff and improve scalp health. They may or may not be able to fulfill their claim, but ironically most of these products are loaded with harmful chemicals that can do more damage to our scalp than good. And then there are some products which are made with natural products, are free of harmful chemicals, but are not budget-friendly.

White pepper is a simple and effective solution for the treatment of dandruff as it is not only free of harmful chemicals but is also an economical and convenient purchase.

White pepper protects our hair follicles and scalp from the oxidative damage caused by the free radicals, and thus improves our scalp health.

Other nutrients like zinc, manganese and vitamin B complex, etc. provide nourishment to our scalp and keep it healthy.

White pepper is very effective for the treatment of dandruff because of its heat-generating properties. For this, mix some powdered white pepper with curd, and apply the mixture to the scalp. Let it dry normally for 20-30 minutes, and then wash off with water. Using this mixture helps in getting efficiently rid of dandruff.

Make sure that you don’t allow the mixture to sit on the scalp for a long time as it can burn the scalp skin because of its healing properties.

Difference Between Black And White Peppers

Both black pepper and white pepper are obtained from the pepper vine shrub and differ in the way they are processed.

Black pepper is originally green in color as it is the unripe fruit of the pepper vine. It is removed from the vine, and then cooked and dried to give it a black and shriveled crust. On the other hand, white pepper is the ripe fruit of the pepper vine. It is soaked in water for nearly 15-20 days, after which its skin begins to fall off, and the inner white seed of the fruit comes out which is dried and used either as a whole or as powder.

Both black pepper and white pepper offer a tangy and spicy flavor and are used to give a unique taste to the dishes. In comparison to white pepper, black pepper is spicier and has a citrusy taste with an earthy flavor. Contrary to this, white pepper has a sharp taste with a pungent aroma.

Both black pepper and white pepper are loaded with essential nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium, and other compounds such as phytonutrients, polyphenols, and dietary fibers, etc. that provides amazing benefits. However, both these pepper differs from each other in the following ways.

1. Difference In Aroma

In comparison to white pepper, black pepper has a pungent aroma.

2. Difference In Processing

Both white pepper and black pepper are the fruits of the Piper Nigrum or pepper plant and differ from each other in the way they are processed. Black peppercorns are plucked from the pepper vine when they are almost ripe. They are then sun-dried to remove moisture, and this makes them wrinkly. This process makes the outer layer black. On the other hand, white peppers are plucked once they are completely ripe on the plant itself. After plucking, they are soaked in water for 10-15 days to soften their outer layer. This removes the outer layer of the fruit, and the inner white layer of the seed comes out. They are then sun-dried and can be used as a whole and even in powdered form.

3. For The Sake Of Aestheticism

This difference has to do more with the visuals, and less with the properties or taste. White pepper is a preferred choice to give an aesthetic touch to white sauces, soups, and mashed potatoes, and other light-colored dishes. Adding black pepper to white dishes won’t look so appealing.

Similarly, if you are cooking something that involves dark colors then black pepper will blend into the mix perfectly in comparison to white pepper.

4. Difference In Hotness

Both white pepper and black pepper are known for their heat-generating properties, but they differ from each other in terms of hotness. White pepper offers instant hot flavor, but black pepper releases hotness slowly on chewing.

Depending on your taste preference, you may find both white pepper and black pepper to be spicier than each other, but in reality, they both are equally spicy.

5. Preference In Different Cuisines

Both black pepper and white pepper have the same origin, but they are preferred over each other depending on the cuisines. In many international and intercontinental cuisines, black pepper is the preferred choice. However, in Chinese, Thai and French cuisines, white pepper is preferred over black pepper.

6. Amount Of Essential Oils

If black pepper and white pepper are to be differentiated on the grounds of essential oil, then black pepper will win without a doubt as it has more essential oil in comparison to white pepper for the same weight.

7. Medicinal Properties

Comparatively, white pepper has more medicinal benefits than black pepper, and it is the reason it was widely used in the ancient Ayurvedic and Chinese therapies for prevention and/or treatment of various health issues such as malaria, constipation, nasal congestion, arthritis, food poisoning, joint pain, and cholera, etc.

8. Difference In Odor

Black pepper has a strong and woody flavor because of its outer black layer that remains intact even at the processing time. On the other hand, the outer layer of the white pepper is removed at the time of processing, and it loses the scents that give a floral and woody odor to it.

In comparison to black pepper, white pepper has a mushy odor that develops during fermentation.

9. Different Shelf Life

In comparison to white pepper, black pepper has a longer shelf life and can be stored in the kitchen for a long time without the worry of losing its aromatic flavor.

However, white pepper can’t be stored for long as it develops a bitter taste on rotting.

10. Extent Of Allergy

Both white pepper and black pepper show different levels of intensity to the people who are allergic to them.

If you are allergic to pepper as a whole, then you are more likely to react badly to black pepper in comparison to white pepper.

This is because in simple terms white pepper is just the seed of the pepper as its outer layer is removed. On the other hand, the outer layer of the black pepper is intact. The composition of black pepper is intense and may cause severe allergic reactions.

Disclaimer

The information contained in the post is for general purposes only and shouldn’t be considered as medical advice or as an alternative to medical advice. Although I’ve tried my best to keep the information contained in this post as accurate and updated as possible, I make no guarantee of the accurateness of the same.

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