Black pepper was once considered so valuable that Europeans made voyages to India with the sole purpose of bringing back the spice.
These days black pepper is a staple in most kitchens. “Season with salt and pepper” is something you do in most styles of cooking to help bring out other flavors. But did you know that black pepper is packed with amazing health benefits?
Anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties
Piperine, the active compound in black pepper, has powerful antioxidant properties. Studies show that it can reduce oxidative stress to the cells induced by a high-fat diet (1).
Oxidative stress plays a major part in the development of chronic and degenerative ailments such as cancer, arthritis, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Antioxidants from our diet play an important role in the neutralization of oxidative stress.
Piperine can also significantly reduce inflammation (2).
Research shows that chronic inflammation is linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and arthritis.
Improved brain function
Studies show that piperine can improve memory performance and cognitive function. Piperine’s profound benefits include protecting against cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration in conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (3).
Lower cholesterol
Black pepper can reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the body.
LDL cholesterol can build up on the walls of your blood vessels if your body has too much of it. This buildup is called plaque. As your blood vessels build up plaque over time, the insides of the vessels narrow. This narrowing blocks blood flow to and from your heart. This can lead to a heart attack (4, 5).
Make sure to get plenty of black pepper in your diet. Season meals liberally with it. Add it to your breakfast smoothie. Golden bars are another great way to enjoy the benefits of black pepper and other Essential Foods.
Next, learn more about the importance of nutrient antioxidants.
Then, see how you can avoid chronic inflammation.
We make delicious, nutrient-dense, inflammation-healing nutrition bars. Get some today!
