VNBlack Pepper
What is Black Pepper
- Black pepper is a spice that is derived from the dried, unripe fruit of the Piper nigrum plant. It is one of the most widely used spices in the world, and is known for its pungent, spicy flavor. Black pepper is used to add flavor to a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to salads and marinades. It is also used to season meats, vegetables, and other dishes. Black pepper has a sharp, biting flavor that can be used to enhance the flavor of a dish.
It is also known for its health benefits, as it is a good source of antioxidants and can help reduce inflammation. Black pepper is available in a variety of forms, including whole peppercorns, ground pepper, and pepper flakes. It can be used in both cooking and baking, and can be added to dishes at any stage of the cooking process.
Where Is Pepper Grown? Where does it come from?
The Black Pepper is native to India but is grown in nearly every tropical region. Vietnam currently grows and exports the most black pepper, totaling around 35% of the world’s supply, followed by India, Brazil, China and Sri Lanka. Used in practically every single style of cuisine imaginable pepper is the most traded spice worldwide and makes up 20% of the world’s total spice trade.
How many types of pepper are there?
- White pepper consists solely of the seed of the ripe fruit of the pepper plant, with the thin darker-colored skin (flesh) of the fruit removed. This is usually accomplished by a process known as retting, where fully ripe red pepper berries are soaked in water for about a week so the flesh of the peppercorn softens and decomposes; rubbing then removes what remains of the fruit, and the naked seed is dried. Sometimes the outer layer is removed from the seed through other mechanical, chemical, or biological methods.
- Green pepper, like black pepper, is made from unripe drupes. Dried green peppercorns are treated in a way that retains the green color, such as with sulfur dioxide, canning, or freeze-drying. Pickled peppercorns, also green, are unripe drupes preserved in brine or vinegar.
- Red peppercorns usually consist of ripe peppercorn drupes preserved in brine and vinegar. Ripe red peppercorns can also be dried using the same color-preserving techniques used to produce green pepper.
- Pink peppercorns are the fruits of the Peruvian pepper tree, Schinus molle, or its relative, the Brazilian pepper tree, Schinus terebinthifolius, plants from a different family (Anacardiaceae). As they are members of the cashew family, they may cause allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, for persons with a tree nut allergy.
=> Black, white, pink , and green peppercorns are the same berry. They are simply harvested and processed in different ways, and at different times, which accounts for the color variation. Each kind of pepper has its own flavor profile and role to play in our cooking.
Today, black pepper still dominates the global spice market. Vietnam, Indonesia, India, and Brazil are the top-producing countries.
Harvest – Season
Black pepper is produced from the still-green, unripe drupe of the pepper plant. The drupes are cooked briefly in hot water, both to clean them and to prepare them for drying. The heat ruptures cell walls in the pepper, speeding the work of browning enzymes during drying. The drupes dry in the sun or by machine for several days, during which the pepper skin around the seed shrinks and darkens into a thin, wrinkled black layer. Once dry, the spice is called black peppercorn. On some estates, the berries are separated from the stem by hand and then sun-dried without boiling.After the peppercorns are dried, pepper spirit and oil can be extracted from the berries by crushing them. Pepper spirit is used in many medicinal and beauty products. Pepper oil is also used as an ayurvedic massage oil and in certain beauty and herbal treatments.
Nutritional Value of Black Pepper
Black pepper contains a variety of chemical compounds that can be beneficial for your health. The active ingredients in black pepper include oleoresins and alkaloids such as piperine and chavicine which are considered strong antioxidants. These components are known to reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses like atherosclerosis, neurological conditions, and cardiovascular disease among several others. Black pepper also houses flavonoids, essential oil, and other phenolic components that are good for cell protection and your overall digestive health.Additionally, this tiny bundle of miracles comes packed with the goodness of Manganese that takes care of your bone health, and metabolism and helps heal wounds. Moreover, one teaspoon of black pepper contains 16 percent of your daily required intake (DRI) of manganese and 6% of vitamin K intake (DRI)
