"Black gold" among spices

BLACK PEPPER - currency for paying taxes and a gift for the gods

Black pepper has played an important role throughout human history and has been a valued spice since ancient times. The fascinating history of black pepper begins in India, which is still one of the largest producers of black pepper, and where it has been used for more than 4000 years. From India it spread to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. It was even found in the nostrils of the great pharaoh Ramses II. as part of the mummification process or as if they wanted to leave the pharaoh smelling its aroma in the afterlife.

Except as a spice, the ancient Greeks used it as currency and offered it as a gift to the gods. Numerous recipes of Roman cookbooks from the 3rd century B. C. contain pepper, although it was probably extremely expensive at that time. Pepper was at the center of attention during the early European spice trade. During the Middle Ages, it was considered an important trade asset, and was used as currency to pay taxes. It was so valued that an individual's wealth was often measured in their pepper supply.

Big cities developed thanks to black pepper, and today we can find it in every kitchen

The quest for black pepper led to the exploration of unknown countries, but also to the development of large trading cities in Europe and the Middle East.

Today, black pepper is one of the most popular and best-selling spices, an integral part of almost every meal and a part of every, even the humblest kitchen, and yet we take it for granted. In addition to aroma and spiciness, black pepper has more benefits and positive effects on our body than we can imagine.

Black pepper - a multipurpose spice

Except the fact that it makes food taste better, one of the reasons why black pepper can be found on every table is also its influence on the digestion. Do you sometimes feel heavy after eating, are you suffering from bad and slow digestion? It is known that black pepper aids the digestion and that is why we should not hesitate to add it to every meal in front of us.

Since a part of our history started developing due to the quest for the black gold among spices, there has to be a reason why it lingered on every table throughout all this time. Are the reason its beneficial effects on the health or is the need for it simply a learned habit that it lasting for centuries? All in all, in times when the health is the most important, it is clear that this king among spices will also in the future stay an omnipresent part of every meal.  

The most interesting and important property of black pepper is that it increases the absorption of nutrients from food, but also from pharmaceutical drugs. It is logical that we want to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from the food we eat. By adding black pepper to the meal, we increase the quality and quantity of nutrients of the healthy food we eat. A well-known example of increasing the absorption of nutrients is adding pepper to turmeric. Black pepper extract - piperine, increases the bioavailability of curcumin by up to 2000%. Since black pepper increases the bioavailability of nutrients, it is recommended to add it freshly ground to every meal.

We recommend peppercorn

To get the most out of black pepper, it is best to buy it in grains and grind it if necessary. Once ground, the flavors evaporate quickly, so pre-ground black pepper is less useful. Piperine dramatically increases the absorption of coenzyme Q10, which is important for energy production in cells, helps circulation, stimulates the immune system, increases tissue oxygenation and has a significant anti-aging effect, followed by beta-carotene, selenium and vitamin B6, which helps the body convert food into energy. Black pepper improves circulation by dilating blood vessels, so it can be used to relieve symptoms of poor circulation, such as cold hands and feet. It is also used to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, colds and flu.