There’s a good reason why black pepper is considered the ‘king of spices’. With its aromatic taste, large selection of culinary uses, and great variety of medicinal advantages, black pepper has gained a place of honor in any kitchen or spice rack, and even in the medicine cabinet. Since ancient times, pepper has appeared in many medicinal arts, for its ability to calm stomach aches, reduce liver problems, lung diseases, and digestion problems. It can also improve blood flow, act as an anti-depressant and reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
My granny taught me many great uses for this spice, and now I’ll share some with you.
1. To keep your cholesterol low – Add 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper to a glass of buttermilk. Mix in some finely cut onion and drink.
2. To lose weight – Mix 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper, one glass of water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and one of honey. Stir well and drink daily.
3. To reduce fever – Take 7 or 8 leaves of basil and 3 or 4 grains of black pepper and chew them together.
4. To relieve a dry cough – Grind 5 or 6 seeds of black pepper and mix with natural honey. Swallow a spoon of this mix daily until relief is achieved.
5. To relieve asthma attacks – Boil 8 to 10 grains of pepper, 2 clove buds and 10 to 15 basil leaves in water. Let the brew sit for about 15 minutes, strain it and add 2 spoons of honey.
Tip: Drink with milk!
6. Treating a sore throat – Squeeze some lemon juice, add a bit of salt and ground black pepper – and gargle.
7. To treat a cold – Make some tea and add 2 or 3 grains of ground black pepper, a piece of ginger and basil leaves.
8. To treat a chronic cold – Consume ground black pepper with dates.
9. To open a blocked up nose – Mix equal amounts of black pepper, cinnamon, cumin and cardamom seeds. Grind to a thin powder and smell or inhale the mixture. This will cause healthy sneezing and will open the nose ducts.
10. To relieve any kind of cough – Grind some black pepper and add sugar. Consume the mix with clarified butter.
11. To ease a heavy cough – add 2 or 3 grains of black pepper to a glass of boiling hot milk, wait for it to cool a bit and then drink.
12. Treating a toothache – Mix ground black pepper with clove oil. Smear the ointment on the afflicted area.
13. To treat indigestion – Mix some black pepper with ginger juice and sip after every meal.
14. Relieve nausea – Mix black pepper and water in a glass, add some fresh lemon juice, mix and drink slowly.
15. Treating skin conditions – Prepare an ointment from ground black pepper and refined butter. Apply to skin conditions such as allergy rash, Eczema and scabies.
16. To fight baldness – Make a thick paste from black pepper and lemon seeds. Apply it daily to balding areas about 10 minutes before showering. The solution should help revitalize hair growth.
17. To deal with hemorrhoids – Grind together 20 grams of black pepper, 10 grams of cumin and 15 grams of sugar. Mix in water and drink morning and evening, every day.
18. ?To stop bleeding – Cover the bleeding wound with ground black pepper. Bandage with a paper towel and tighten with sellotape (scotch tape). Wait 10 minutes and the bleeding will stop.
19. To stop hiccups – Hold a small plate with black pepper to your nose, inhale strongly a few times and the hiccups will cease.
BenefitsBlack PepperHealthy
