The Nutritional and Dangerous Side to the Consumption of Pepper.
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There is a certain race in Nigeria known for their high level of ability to consume pepper, and that is proudly part of Nigeria where I come from, now the most interesting part is that, amongst my family members, I am the least person who has a love for pepper but amongst my friends who do not come from the same place like me, then to them, I have a serious love with pepper. My kid sister is the worse, she has the ability to chew raw pepper without any problem, she use to do that when she was younger and I use to call her a witch until my Mum stopped her from doing that. Pepper is so important to my people that we have a popular saying, ''a life without pepper is an empty life'', funny but it is that deep for us.
With this high level of love for pepper consumption, I always think it is not completely safe, there may be a problem with eating just too much of it, especially when it is being consumed in its raw form. However, the fact that I fear that, pepper has its own side effects when excessively consumed, is not to say pepper does not have any health benefits. Pepper is an important ingredient when cooking most dishes, not only does pepper adds taste to meals, the absence of pepper makes a meal feel bland even when other spices have been used.
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Pepper contains so many nutrients, the nutrients include; potassium, calcium, carbohydrate, magnesium, vitamins C and B6, and protein. In terms of nutrients, peppers are one of the most healthy food, which is a reason why it is important to include them in your diet. Capsaicin is a substance found in pepper, giving a hot and spicy flavor, some of the other benefits include;
- It is good for the heart.
- Metabolism boost, which could aid weight loss.
- Reduces cancer risk and a lot more.
- There is a relief for joint pain.
- A great boost for the immune system.
Black pepper is specifically rich in potassium, and potassium helps to control heart rate and is very useful for the regulation of blood pressure, black pepper is rich in iron and highly significant in combating low blood pressure. It is also significant in the production of red blood cells which are rich in manganese and it is also an antioxidant enzyme, it is rich in vitamin B such as; thiamine, zinc, niacin, and riboflavin.
Black pepper is also a very rich source of calcium and benefits old people, who can get a significantly high amount of calcium for their bones. It is rich in vitamin K as well.
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Let's check out the nutritional breakdown briefly;
251 calories, 64g of total carbohydrate, 3.3g of total fat, 10g of protein, 1,329mg of potassium, and 20mg of pepper. It also contains 10% of vitamin A, 53% of Iron, 15% of Vitamin B-6, 42% of Magnesium, and 0.44 levels of calcium.
What if I told you black pepper could help fight cancer?
Black pepper contains piperline and when this is combined with turmeric, could help prevent the occurrence of cancer. It is as well loaded with antioxidants and vitamins like Vitamin A, carotenes, and flavonoids that help in the combating of cancer-causing free radicals. If black pepper would function in this manner, then it should be consumed in its raw form (you see what my sister was trying to do), but do you still think it is worth the price to pay for the side effect, you will need to continue reading to find out about that.
Black pepper aids digestion: With the consumption of raw black pepper, hydrochloric acid is released by the stomach and helps break down proteins, when hydrochloric acid in black pepper is released, it helps with the cleaning of the intestine and helps combat gastrointestinal diseases. The daily consumption of black pepper helps to prevent stomach disorders such as; diarrhea, colon cancer, constipation, and other attached/associated symptoms.
**Great for the respiratory system: Adding this special black pepper spice to herbal tea and consuming twice or three times daily will help cure cough and cold. Preparing your food with black pepper helps a lot to take out phlegm from the body in the winter season. Black pepper with honey also helps prevent chest congestion
** Skin benefits**: There is a skin pigmentation known as vitiligo, the skin turns white. Black pepper is loaded with piperline which helps to restore the natural color of the skin, it also ensures that skin cancer occurrence as a result of the over-exposure to chemicals is significantly reduced. Also used for skin allergies, skin rash, and skin cells.
Helps in hair fall and hair regrowth: Black pepper helps in the treatment of dandruff for hair, black pepper mixed with curd then applied to the scalp, then left for thirty minutes before it is washed off helps with dandruff, but pepper could burn, so you have to be careful about the amount used, I wouldn't even put much on my hair as I would be so scared of the effect.
Aids weight loss: As a result of its richness in phytonutrients, it helps to break down excess fat and improve body metabolism.
These are some of the health benefits associated with pepper consumption, we can tell why my people love it but like I asked before, is it healthy? there are certain side effects to consuming pepper on a large scale, let's check them out;
Cause gastrointestinal problems: We have mentioned the piperine in black pepper which is the most beneficial compound in it, it could as well leave a sharp, burning aftertaste when it is consumed in a large amount, and it could cause a serious burning sensation in the throat and stomach.
Mouth problems: Before pepper gets into the body, it passes through the mouth and can cause different problems, it could literally burn our tastebuds.
Trigger asthma attack: For patients who are asthmatic, and do not have their inhaler close by, it can be really dangerous to consume a high level of pepper.
Overabsorption of some drugs: Piperine as well plays the role of bioenhancer in drug absorption, which could be beneficial if the medication is absorbed properly, on the other hand however, it could also result in the overabsorption of some medications in a dangerously high level.
It could cause a burning sensation in the body of the fetus when a woman is pregnant.
Could cause sneezing.
Conclusion.
I am not making this post to condemn the act of consuming pepper because I cannot even survive not eating pepper either, but we just need to try to take it in moderation, if you are not from my place, be mindful of eating our food, take a tiny spoon to be sure that your taste bud is safe before you take in the large junk, don't say I didn't warn you (laughs), please stay safe and stay healthy.
References.
https://www.health.com/food/dangers-eating-hot-peppers
https://healthguide.ng/health-effects-eating-too-much-pepper/
https://dailytimesng.com/yoruba-people-much-pepper-may-dangerous/
https://www.lybrate.com/topic/black-pepper-benefits-and-side-effects
https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/serious-side-effects-of-black-pepper/
https://www.rxlist.com/black_pepper/supplements.htm
Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. Want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my youtube channel where you can listen and watch any episode for free, do not forget to subscribe and share with friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from members of the community and do well to keep them coming.
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