Black Pepper........and the benefits....

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WHFoods: Black pepper

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice & dbid=74

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 -- Benefits and Possible Risks

http://ezinearticles.com/?Black-Pepper----Benefits-and-Possible-Risks & id=200086

Possible Benefits of Black Pepper:

· Alleviates hemorrhoids

· Alleviates gas

· Alleviates constipation

· Improves digestion

– just think, by grinding or shaking black pepper onto your meal, you may actually be aiding yourself in the digestion of that meal. How? Black pepper stimulates the taste buds, alerting your stomach to increase its hydrochloric acid secretion which aids in digestion.

· Alleviates loss of appetite – again, black pepper wakes up and stimulates your taste buds.

· Promotes sweating

· Promotes urination

· Anti-bacterial effect

· Anti-oxidant effect

· Stimulates the breakdown of fat cells

· Inhaling vapor from black pepper extract may reduce withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking – this theory is still being tested…

· Piperine – an alkaloid found in black pepper – could enhance the bioavailability of some nutritional substances and drugs. It also may have anti-carcinogenic properties and anticonvulsant

Possible Negative Effects of Black Pepper

· According to at least one study, black pepper may cause an increase in parietal secretion (of hydrochloric acid – the acid abovementioned as an aid to digestion) and pepsin secretion and a loss in potassium.

· Also, there is a chance of mucosal mircrobleeding and even gastric bleeding due black pepper (due, at least in part, to the above-stated secretions).

· Piperine may actually be carcinogenic (although some studies show that it is anti-carcinogenic…) and it might even have negative effects on sperm and interfere with reproductive processes.

All in all, it seems that more likely than not, black pepper has positive health benefits. But before you start loading black pepper onto every single meal, realize that there are possible negatives, as well (which can practically be said about most any food!)

Black Pepper: More than Just Salt's Buddy

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