So Valuable is This Spice that it was Once Used as Money
Black pepper is the most valuable and widely traded spice in the world. At the international Pepper exchange in Kochi, India, the price fluctuates depending on demand and the size of the crop. Black pepper is native to India and Southeast Asia. Vietnam ranks among the highest for exporting
Black pepper.
Pepper was a form of currency in ancient times. Attila the Hun named black pepper in his demand for ransom for Rome. Pepper was one of the reasons Portugal financed Columbus in his quest for a new route to India.
Black Pepper was used as a spice and was an active ingredient in a lot of the early medicines. There's no real scientific evidence that it has any medical benefits but recent studies shows that it may have benefits for pain relieve for arthritis. Studies have also shown that pepper helps the body absorb certain vitamins such as vitamin B, and beta carotene. It should be avoided if you have any kind of stomach problems as it can be an irritant to the lining of the stomach.
Black pepper has a pungent flavour is the most popular spice in American cooking. Grinding your own peppercorns will produce a better flavour than buying pepper already ground. Use air tight containers and store in a dark place to preserve its flavour. It loses its pungent flavour quickly when exposed to light and air.
The plant is a flowering vine (piper nigrum) is of the piperaceae family. Black Pepper is produced from the unripe berries of the pepper plant. The berry is cooked briefly in hot water. This cleans the berries and prepares them for drying. The peppercorns are dried in a machine but can be dried in the sun. The drying process takes several days. Black, white, green, and red peppercorns are produced from the same plant. The plant requires rich, moist but well drain soil with a lot of humidity in the air. It doesn't like a lot of sun and does best in partial to full shade with lots of light. The Black Pepper plant is not cold tolerant and the temperature has to stay above 45 degrees Fahrenheit but it grows better at 70 degrees and above. As a house plant it will grow from 3 to 5 feet and needs a trellis or some kind of support. It will bloom and produce seeds around three years of age.
Black Pepper is the most popular of all the spices and has been called "The King of Spices" Most homes have a pepper shaker or grinder on their dining table.
Sources Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pepper
Ezine http://ezinearticles.com/?Black-Pepper----Benefits-and-Possible-Risks&id=200086
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