This spice is really suitable for eating more in winter! The reason is very interesting

In the cold winter, drinking a bowl of steaming hot spicy soup will instantly dispel the cold and warm up the body. Not only spicy soup, but also ordinary noodles with pepper will make you feel warm when you eat them.

The "magic" power to drive away the cold is actually hidden in pepper. Did you know that pepper is not only a seasoning expert, but also can warm the body? How does it do this?

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Eat pepper

Why does the body feel “warm”?

"Pepper" is native to tropical regions such as India, Thailand, and the Philippines. Because it is picky about the temperature and environment in which it grows, pepper has been a popular commodity for a long time in history, just like gold. Ancient Roman nobles used pepper as a symbol of status and wealth, so pepper is also known as "black gold". Zheng He also brought back a lot of pepper when he sailed to the West.

The popularity of pepper at that time was not only because it was a rare condiment, but also because of its health benefits. People believed that pepper had good antibacterial, detoxifying, analgesic and cold-relieving effects, and even used it to treat fever and poisonous insect bites.

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Nowadays, although pepper is no longer widely used to "cure diseases", it is still loved by people as a spice that can be used both as a seasoning and as a "warming body and stomach".

Why do you feel warm after eating pepper? This is mainly due to the fact that it contains a chemical called "piperine". The spicy piperine has been shown in studies to promote the beneficial metabolism of cells.

1

Stimulates nerve endings, producing a warm sensation

Piperine stimulates temperature receptors (TRPV1 receptors) in the mouth, throat, and stomach, causing us to feel a "warming" effect. Although pepper itself does not raise body temperature, this nerve stimulation can give people a warming sensation.

2

Improve blood circulation

Piperine can also dilate blood vessels and speed up blood circulation. Faster blood flow, especially to the extremities of the body (such as the hands and feet), can make people feel warm all over.

3

Stimulates digestion and metabolism

Piperine can stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and promote the secretion of digestive enzymes, thereby enhancing metabolism. Faster metabolism and more heat generated by the body will also make people feel warm.

4

Psychological “warmth” associations

The spicy taste is often associated with hot food in cold seasons, and the fact that foods cooked with pepper (such as barbecue and spicy soup) are usually served hot further reinforces its "warming" impression.

Therefore, pepper is not only a condiment, but also makes people feel warm in the cold through chemical stimulation and physical reaction. In addition, the large amount of aromatic substances in pepper oil, such as carvacrol, also adds to the unique spicy and warm smell of pepper. These aromatic substances have also been proven to have bactericidal and insect repellent effects, which can reduce the risk of food spoilage. People have always used pepper to preserve food, such as putting pepper in rice bags to prevent spoilage and insects.

In addition to warming up

There are many benefits of pepper

In addition to making people feel "warm", pepper as a spice has been found to have many health benefits in recent years.

For example, many studies have shown that piperine has the functions of regulating blood lipid metabolism (including lowering triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels), preventing lipid peroxidation, and preventing thrombosis. This also suggests that pepper may have a certain preventive effect on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

For example, black pepper, which we often use as a barbecue companion, has been found to help reduce the carcinogenic heterocyclic amines produced during open flame high-temperature barbecue. In fact, not only black pepper, but also white pepper can be used, as long as it contains piperine, and the larger the amount used, the better the effect.

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Other studies have also found that piperine can prevent Parkinson's disease and depression by protecting the animal nervous system in multiple ways. However, it is still limited to animal experiments, and it is not yet known whether it can play a similar role in humans.

In some studies, pepper has also shown stimulant-like effects, enhancing the athletic performance of experimental animals. The Olympics even took pepper off the menu to ensure fairness in the competition.

Pepper is not only black and white, but also red and green?!

In daily life, we are most familiar with white pepper and black pepper, but in fact, pepper is not limited to these two types, there are also green pepper and red pepper! Different colors just represent different maturity and processing methods.

The most common black pepper is made by directly drying unripe green peppercorns. Since the peel containing more piperine and other flavor substances is retained and the water is removed, black pepper has the strongest spicy flavor and tastes the spiciest. This kind of atmospheric and straightforward spiciness is best paired with all kinds of red meat, such as black pepper grilled steak, black pepper fried pork chops, etc.

White pepper is different. It is the seed part obtained by soaking the ripe pepper fruit, removing the peel and pulp, and then drying it. Without the outer skin, the taste of white pepper becomes much milder. It doesn't smell too strong, but a bit warm and spicy. It is more suitable for pairing with white meat such as chicken, duck, fish and shrimp. For example, pepper pork tripe chicken is a very classic Cantonese soup.

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Now let's talk about green pepper and red pepper. As the name suggests, green pepper is not fully mature and has a green peel. Due to its low maturity, it contains less piperine and other flavor substances, so the taste is not so pungent and the aroma is lighter. Because it is not easy to preserve, it is relatively rare in the market. Green pepper is usually made into sauces or used in some relatively refreshing dishes to add flavor.

Red pepper is a type of pepper whose peel turns reddish brown when fully mature. The reason why it is rarely seen in the market is mainly because its maturity period is inconsistent, the fruit is easy to fall off after ripening, the harvesting loss is large, and the labor cost is too high. Red pepper has a very strong spicy taste and aroma, which is very suitable for pairing with high-quality seafood, or making spicy sauces to add color to dishes. Red pepper baked lobster and red pepper baked grouper are very popular in Cantonese cuisine.

In addition to paying attention to the combination of ingredients, if you want to enjoy pepper better, there are a few things to note:

1

Avoid high-heat cooking

Piperine and a large number of polyphenols in pepper are easily destroyed by high temperatures, affecting its flavor and antioxidant properties. Especially high temperatures over 100 degrees, such as frying, can cause great damage to these nutrients in pepper. Whether it is white pepper or black pepper, it is recommended that you do not sprinkle it directly into oil for frying.

2

Avoid stewing for too long

Although the stewing temperature is lower than frying, stewing for too long will reduce the volatile aroma substances in the pepper, affecting the taste and aroma of the dish. We can add pepper when the dish is almost out of the pot to enhance the flavor.

3

Avoid exposure to light or storage

No matter what kind of spice, it is best to keep it sealed and away from light. Frequent exposure to sunlight or air will affect the smell and quality of pepper, making it "tasteless". It is recommended that you buy small packages, store them carefully, and eat them as soon as possible.

This winter, why not try pepper? Using pepper well can also give you a warming experience!

References

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[2]Sharifi-Rad,M.,Varoni,EM,Iriti,M.,etal.(2018).Carvacrolandhumanhealth:Acomprehensivereview.PhytotherapyResearch, 32(9),1675-1687.

[3]ShahSS,ShahGB,SinghSD,etal.Effectofpiperineintheregulationofobesity-induceddyslipidemiainhigh-fatdietrats.IndianJPharmacol.2011May;43(3):296-9.

[4] Dongdong Wang, Lu Zhang, Jiansheng Huang, et al. Cardiovascular protective effect of blackpepper (PipernigrumL.) and its major bioactive constituent piperine, Trends in Food Science & Technology, Volume 117, 2021: 34-45.

[5]MaomaoZeng,MengruZhang,JingChen,etal.UPLC-MS/MSandmultivariateanalysisofinhibitionofheterocyclicamineprofilesbyblackpepperandpiperineinroastbeefpatties,ChemometricsandIntelligentLaboratorySystems,Volume168,2017:96-106.

[6] Dong Yawen. Study on the molecular mechanism of piperine activating TRPV1[D]. Qingdao University, 2019.

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[8] Wu Guiping, Huang Feifei, Li Heng, Gu Fenglin, Zhu Hongying. Extraction and antioxidant activity of total polyphenols from pepper[J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2016, 6(11): 67-74

[9]VijayakumarRS,SuryaD,NaliniN.Antioxidantefficacyofblackpepper(PipernigrumL.)andpiperineinratswithhighfatdietinducedoxidativestress.RedoxRep.2004;9(2):105-10.

[10]Stojanović-RadićZ,PejčićM,DimitrijevićM,etal.Piperine-AMajorPrincipleofBlackPepper:AReviewofItsBioactivityandStudies.AppliedSciences.2019;9(20):4270.

[11] Liao Hongbo, Liu Ping, Hu Yuan, Wang Dongxiao, Lin Hui. Study on the antidepressant and neuroprotective effects of piperine[J]. China Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2009, 34(12): 1562-1565.

[12] Lin Si, Qin Huizhen, Deng Lingyu, Zhang Miao, Xie Fengfeng, Li Zeyu, Zhu Hua. Research progress on the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of piperine[J]. Chinese Pharmacy, 2022, 33(13): 1653-1659.

Planning and production

Author: Wang Lu, registered dietitian

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center