Know the Sciences (Native) — Pepper

The primary reason for the British fascination towards India was because of ‘PEPPER’. At that time, pepper was exported from our country to Arab countries. The Arabs sold it to the Europeans at a high profit. Pepper is called as ‘black gold’ because it was more expensive than gold in those days. In European countries, pepper was considered as an expensive commodity and a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Hence, they came to India for pepper and started business and captured our country.

Back then we didn’t even use chili, did you know that?

Chili comes from Chile country. Chili was not our traditional plant. It has been said that pepper is good, and chili is not good for health.

Pepper was also used as currency in ancient times. Today, we eat food and throw the pepper away. Remember pepper is a black gold even today, it is the king of spices.

There is a saying, “If you have ten pepper, you can eat it in your enemy’s house”. Pepper can break the poison to that extent, and it is slightly hot.

Pepper is native to India. Especially in Kerala, a large amount of pepper is cultivated. The alkalinity of pepper is due to the chemical substance called pepperine in it. The vine, leaf and root of pepper are useful. Our ancestors knew the greatness of pepper and made our food system based on it.

Pepper is not only used for aroma and taste but also for its great medicine values. Pepper is a health enhancing substance.

Types of Pepper:

- White pepper

- Black pepper

- Green pepper

- Red pepper

Nutrients of Pepper:

Mineral salts like calcium, iron, phosphorus and vitamins like carotene, fiber, thiamin, riboflavin and riacin are present in pepper.

Medicinal Uses of Pepper:

Pepper is widely used in Siddha medicine. Pepper is the world’s best antidote.

1. To cure the cough, cold, fever:

Pepper is also used as a detoxifier to treat colds, coughs and fevers. If you eat honey or palm kernel along with pepper powder, cough will stop immediately. Black pepper is a very good medicine for cough and cold. Drinking black pepper tea will reduce sore throat.

If we do have cough due to body heat — add pepper powder and mash it with palm oil and in few days, cough will be cured. Drinking pepper will cure cough and cold. If you take 5 or 6 peppers and eat them daily, you can prevent cold and cough problems.

2. As Antidote:

Pepper has anti-toxic properties. It can detoxify food and remove body toxicity. To get rid of poison puss do the following — Pepper 10, Betel leaf 1, Arugula 1 handful — to be crushed and mixed with hot water. Once we drink, the body will be cured.

Centipede bites- Add betel juice and pepper and soak it for 1 day and then dry the soaked chili powder and keep it in a vessel. Take 2 finger size of this powder twice in hot water to get rid of the venom of the Centipede bite. If pepper is added to the food daily, the antibacterial properties of pepper will enter the body. It will fight against bacteria and prevent diseases and protect our health.

3. Suppresses diseases

Pepper juice — If you add it to your daily diet, it will prevent stomach ailments and respiratory diseases. If you have asthma, joint pain, etc., you can take pepper daily. If you have stomach problems, pepper will increase the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and will give a good solution to digestive problems. It will also cure flatulence and stomach acid.

4. Rejuvenates the Nervous System:

The alkalinity of pepper is refreshing and increases brain pigmentation. It relieves body lethargy and has the property of dissolving fats accumulated in the body. It helps to strengthen nerves and it is the best medicine for the nervousness, tremors of hands and feet, tremors, lack of memory, dementia caused by old age. Pepper has an evocative and uplifting power.

5. Blood purification:

Pepper cleanses blood vessels. When the heart is damaged and working slowly by adding pepper to the food, the heart becomes more efficient, and the blood flow is regulated throughout the body.

6. Gives body heat/warmth:

Pepper removes gas from the stomach, heats the body and dissolves inflammation.

7. For digestion:

Pepper helps to digest food. If you are suffering from loss of appetite do the following –

1/2 gram of pepper powder taken daily with warm water can cause hunger. It increases saliva to help digest food. Seriamai — Pepper, suku, thippili, fennel powder in equal quantity, take 1 gram twice in hot water to get rid of digestion issue and get rid of stomach diseases. The health of the digestive tract is improved due to the high antibacterial power of pepper.

8. Toothache:

When you brush your teeth daily, if you add pepper salt and rub it, it will get rid of toothache, bad breath and whiten your teeth. Add equal amount of powdered pepper and mix it with buttermilk to cure bad breath and bleeding from teeth.

Other benefits of pepper are:

• Daily consumption can help to cure asthma, joint pain etc.

• If you want to lose weight, you can add more pepper to your diet.

• Pepper prevents gas.

• The chemical in pepper has the power to prevent cancer.

• Drinking pepper-soaked water cures stone blockage and kidney problems.

• Pepper is also used to relieve dandruff.

• Inhaling the smoke from roasting pepper relieves headaches.

Food is medicine, medicine is food — Proving to this proverb Pepper is the main ingredient that need to be included in our daily food habits to keep us healthy and away from diseases.