Kali Mirch: The King of Spices and Its Ayurvedic Benefits

Be it a tasty meal or a cup of tea, one ingredient will always remain common, Kali Mirch! But have you ever wondered if Black Pepper is good for you? Well, the good news is that the Ayurvedic benefits of Black Pepper are just innumerable! 

One of the most important spices in the Indian kitchen and a source to get relief from your cough. It is a spice that is mostly used for culinary purposes and Ayurvedic medicines. Vietnam is the largest producer and exporter of it that produces around 36% of the total Kali Mirch in the world (report 2018). The black peppercorn/Kali Mirch is a cooked and dried unripe fruit that is the world's most traded spice.The spiceness in Kali Mirch is due to a compund "piperine" that is present in it.

History

Different texts show the pieces of evidence of Kali Mirch in the ancient world. Kali Mirch has been used in India since 2000 BCE and in early times Chera dynasty (now in Kerala)  was the center of its trade. People started using it in their kitchens during the late fifteenth century. It was considered to be one of the prized spices, especially in the Renaissance age. It was known as black gold, additionally, it was used as commodity money. There are also some Roman and Greek texts about Kali Mirch that shows the shreds of evidence of trade between India and the western countries.

Fact- Kali Mirch was also found stuffed in the nostriles of Ramesses II which was kept there for mummification.

Other types of Kali Mirch

Did you know that there is more than one type of pepper?

Image source: Wooden Earth Cutlery

1. Sarawak white pepper
2. Muntok white pepper
3. Green pepper
4. Red pepper
5. Pink pepper

Procedure to make Kali Mirch

There is a short procedure from turning the unripe seeds of the pepper to a dried and slightly oily peppercorn.

1. The unripe seeds are cooked properly in hot water to clean them and to prepare them for drying.
2. The heat helps in rupturing the cell walls in the pepper.
3. Then they are dried to speed up the browning process and it also shrinks the outer skin of the seed
4. The pepper darkens into a thin, wrinkled black layer.
5. Dried pepper spirit and oil are useful for Ayurvedic medicines as well.

Health benefits

Although we all know that it is useful for cold and cough (thanks to our moms) but there are much more health benefits of this spice. Here are some of the advantages for your skin and body:

1. Digestion- it can promote the secretion of hydrochloric acid that is important for digestion in the body. It also increases sweating and urination. Thus, it helps in eliminating the toxins out of the body and also takes out impurities from the pores, uric acid, and urea.
2. Weight loss- Kali Mirch helps in breaking down the fat cells and prevents them to settle down in an unhealthy way. Due to its compound piperine, it enhances metabolic performance and prevents fat amassing.
3. Cold and cough- it can help in preventing sinusitis and nasal congestion by irritating the respiratory tract. Kali Mirch is useful in different cough syrups due to its expectorant properties.
4. Ulcer- the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties prevent the problem that causes due to stomach mucosal damage, hence, it can also prevent the ulcer in the body.
5. Skin problems- it goes deep into the skin if you add it with your scrub(a pinch of Kali Mirch powder) and acts as an exfoliator. The piperine can also reduce the unevenness caused by vitiligo (where normal pigmentation loses and white spots can be seen everywhere) when it is combined with ultraviolet therapy.

Amrutam Nari Sondarya Mal has Kali Mirch, Arjun, Dash Mool, and many other strong herbs/plants/spices in it that provides you all the strength, gives a glowing skin, and reduces stress.

6. Absorption of nutrients- it increases the bio-availability of nutrients by sharing their benefits with other parts of the body, therefore, helps in absorbing more nutrients.

7. Ayurvedic benefits- in Ayurveda this spice is heavy, oily, and moisturizing, additionally, it also has healing effects. The piperine compound is hot in nature and thus helpful to increase the heat of the body (Pitta Dosha).

Kali Mirch and Madhu tonic for cough!

The spice has antibiotic and antibacterial properties that make it an ultimate way to eliminate the cough from your body. Madhu can soothe a sore throat and suppresses the cough. The properties of both these ingredients work magic for sore throat, cough, or cold when mixed. Here is the procedure to make this tonic.

1. Crush 2-3 Kali Mirch and form a powder out of it.
2. Now take a teaspoon of Madhu.
3. Put both the ingredients in a small bowl.
4. Add 2-3 drops of warm water into this mixture.
5. Here is your tonic ready!

Consume this tonic early in the morning to fight cough and cold symptoms. We also recommend Amrutam Lozenge Malt and Amrutam Flukey Malt infused with the Ayurvedic goodness of Black Pepper keeping all the symptoms of flu at bay!

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is the king of spices because most people use Kali Mirch for different purposes. From the kitchen to several Ayurvedic medicines this spice is everywhere. Due to its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, it can be used for different skin problems especially vitiligo and unevenness. It also helps in preventing ulcers and enhances digestion. The piperine present in it increases the Pitta Dosha. The Pitta Dosha controls your digestion, metabolism, and certain hormones as well. Now add this wonderful spice to your Dincharya either in chai or a meal and get a healthy effect on your body.

References- A MAGICAL MEDICINAL FRUIT OF PIPER NIGRUM

Some other Ayurvedic herbs/plants you can read about

• Khus Khus- The (Poppy)lar Health Maestro Seeds
• Sariva- The Pitta Expert and Body Purifier
• Baheda – The immuno-booster
• Shikakai: The secret to healthy hair