What is the first thought that springs to your mind when you think about pepper? It has to be the black speck that you often find in your spice box. How about some white specks instead? Does it sound crazy and puzzled? We will figure that out soon. But before that, let us peep into some fascinating history of the pepper trade in India. It is mentioned in history that pepper was considered as precious as gold and other valuables in ancient times. So now we know why the phrase “pepper expensive” was formed for anything that is of exorbitant cost. This justifies the historical statement about India’s pepper trade with Rome and Egypt.
It was indigenous to Kerala, the southern province of India. History says pepper or peppercorn trade made its way to whopping heights in the international spice trade. It might sound hilarious, but there were times when pepper was a mode of payment to one of the highest officials in foreign lands. Now, that is the kind of tribute the “King of spices” received in the ancient world. However, this king is now accessible to the common man at an affordable price. Thanks to the authentic peppercorn sellers like Thottam Farm Fresh. As the saying goes, once a king, always a king though Yesterday’s pepper is Today’s diamond!
White pepper: Dried ripe pepper berries
Let us get back to the white pepper story. Here are the basics. White pepper, which is the dried ripe pepper berries comes from the same pepper vine plants. Yes, you heard that right. The white and black both come from the same plant. To be more precise, they are the same berries! You must be feeling that your whole life was a lie when u read this. But wait a second. This creamy white pepper differs from black pepper due to the difference in the time they are plucked and the fermentation process that they go through.
Whole or Ground Creamy White Pepper
Have you ever wondered about the fuss about whole white pepper being considered premium to ground white pepper? Having walked through the history, now let us take a sneak peek into the science behind the Whole and Ground white pepper. The first difference that strikes your mind could be the flavour and aroma. You are right. Ground white pepper has a mild flavour in comparison to the freshly ground whole white pepper.
The flavour compounds of ground pepper when stored in containers react with oxygen. This oxidation is the sole demerit of using store-bought ground white pepper. In addition to losing the flavour, it results in oozing out of health benefits which is a boon to digestive disorders, infections, and helpful to your cardiovascular system. However, white pepper has no or a little time to mingle with oxygen when it is ground right before adding a pinch or a dash of it to your dish. Hence the flavour components remain intact. Besides this, the wholesome white tiny peppercorns can be ground to the coarse of your choice, which is finely ground or coarser ground, as it varies according to the dish. Do not snooze the fact that whole white pepper has a better aromatic shelf life than ground white pepper.
Endless Health benefits of White Piperine
With the arrival of the year, 2020 everyone is more health-conscious than ever before. A healthy diet has gained more popularity. White pepper which contains manganese, iron, Vitamin K along with other properties, is the storehouse of several health benefits that can be easily incorporated into your diet. Using the right proportion of this white beauty brings out the maximum health benefits. Here are a few of the many health benefits the white piperine possesses.
General health benefits:
Listed below are a few general yet so amazing health benefits of white pepper.
➔ Pain Relieving: Capsaicin in white pepper generates heat. This property is utilized in pain-relieving sprays and gel. The presence of Capsaicin generates heat which reduces the pain in the affected area.
➔ Cough: WHite pepper powder when consumed with raw honey has been combined to generate an anti-inflammatory property along with generating heat to provide quick relief from cough.
➔ Digestion: As white pepper hits our taste buds, it signals our stomach to produce hydrochloric acid. This improves, in turn, improves digestion.
➔ Weight Loss: Capsaicin in white pepper is a boon to mankind. It burns the fat deposit and thereby leading to weight loss.
➔ Blood pressure: flavonoids, and vitamins C and A in white pepper help you to keep your blood pressure at bay.
➔ Stomach Ulcer: White pepper kills ulcer-causing bacteria in the intestines and stomach. Hence it helps in curing stomach ailments such as stomach and ulcer naturally.
Pepper benefits:
Here are a couple of white pepper benefits for eye ailments.
➔ Improves Eyesight: With the advice of a medical practitioner, white pepper with almond powder, aniseeds, sugar crystals, and Triphala powder is of great benefit to people with weak eyesight.
➔ Cataract Cure: 1:5 ratio of almonds and white pepper mixed with brown sugar and ghee is known to be a tried and tested cure for cataract with medical advice.
● Skin Benefits:
The light from the gleaming eyes of ladies can’t be missed as they read this.
➔ Wrinkle Removal: Using white pepper in your diet is a wonderful remedy to get rid of those wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots
➔ Exfoliation: Freshly crushed white pepper is an excellent exfoliator while scrubbing to remove the dead skin cells. It also improves blood circulation due to its anti-oxidant properties.
Benefits to your looks:
Looks like white pepper has got some major benefits for all those who deal with hair problems.
➔ Dandruff Cure: Application of white pepper mixed with curd on the scalp for half an hour will miraculously remove dandruff. Retaining it for a longer duration can harm your scalp
➔ Hair Regeneration: For lustrous and soft hair, apply a combination of white pepper and lemon seeds for a few minutes.
However, any direct application benefits mentioned here should be tried only with the advice of a medical practitioner as different people have different health conditions.
Which is the right place to buy authentic white pepper from?
Thottam Farm Fresh is by far one of the most ideal places to buy organic white pepper. They produce white pepper on their farm in Kerala. This helps them to preserve all the nutrients and antioxidant properties in white pepper. Pepper is harvested, processed, and packed in their hygienic environments without any use of pesticides. Sufficient care is taken not to lose its natural aroma, freshness, and nutrients. Looks like we have got an authentic white pepper producer and seller from God’s own country!