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- 6 Medicinal Uses Of White Pepper In Ayurveda
- 1. Cures Cough
- 2. Reduces Pain
- 3. Improves Cardiovascular Health
- 4. Supplies Antioxidants
- 5. Supports Better Digestion
- 6. Helps Lose Weight
White pepper is scientifically known as piper nigrum. It is popular around the world as a wonderful flavour enhancer. This spice has also been an important medicinal spice in Ayurveda for thousands of years. That’s because it contains vital nutrients – vitamin C, selenium, zinc, and manganese, to name a few. This aromatic spice offers a range of benefits worth knowing about.
6 Medicinal Uses Of White Pepper In Ayurveda
1. Cures Cough
If you’re down with a cough and cold, add white pepper to your herbal teas and warm soups. This will boost their healing abilities. Why? Because white pepper is a great pacifier of the Kapha dosha, which implies that it helps the body get rid of excess phlegm. This decongesting effect increases the speed of healing and does away with the bothersome wet cough that accompanies it.
2. Reduces Pain
Did you know that this spice relieves pain? All thanks to capsaicin, a compound that lends white pepper its pungent taste. Capsaicin has been found to reduce the levels of ‘substance P’, a neurotransmitter that sends pain signals to the brain. In this way it provides pain relief. So, foods high in capsaicin like white pepper and green chilies are noteworthy natural pain relievers. In fact, capsaicin also lowers inflammation in the body, making white pepper excellent for inflammation-related pain arising from conditions like arthritis.
3. Improves Cardiovascular Health
White peppercorns are great for heart health. This spice is well-known in Ayurveda for its ability to remove excess fluids from the body. Too much of fluid around the heart can damage it by putting too much pressure. White pepper reduces water retention. Moreover, this spice has been found to help prevent obesity – a common contributor to heart diseases.
4. Supplies Antioxidants
Food containing plenty of antioxidants should be an important part of your diet, since they minimise free radical damage and help prevent the onset of diseases. White pepper has potent antioxidant properties. That’s why, it forms a part of various Ayurvedic formulations. Simply sprinkling some white pepper into your food can add some much-needed antioxidant value and boost your health.
5. Supports Better Digestion
If you’ve been having digestion problems lately, chances are that adding white pepper to your diet can go a long way in improving your metabolism. That’s because this spice increases the levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which improves the absorption of nutrients from food. White pepper also has fibre, a vital nutrient for healthy digestion. Here are more foods to improve digestion.
6. Helps Lose Weight
Last on the list of white pepper health benefits is weight loss. This is possible because of capsaicin, the pain relieving compound we spoke to you about earlier in this article. Capsaicin, being highly heaty, promotes fat burning in the body. Combined with the digestion improving properties, it makes an effective weight loss spice.
Note: This article is solely for the purpose of sharing information. Please do not substitute it for professional medical advice. Ingredients discussed can interfere with certain medications. So before using anything to treat yourself, always consult your doctor.
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