There’s an extremely potent and youthful antioxidant setting in your kitchen right now. You may even eat it daily.
But, did you know that consistent consumption of it may support healthy joints, healthy cholesterol levels and heart health, and even healthy aging?
It’s true! Black peppercorns are one of the most common spices in the world, and they can make a world of difference in your health.
Here’s how they promote youthfulness and how you can consume more each day.
9 Youthful Antioxidant Properties of Black Peppercorn
1. High in Anti-Aging Antioxidants
First things first, black peppercorns are extremely high in antioxidants.
As you likely know, free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage and age your cells and tissues. Antioxidants neutralize them.
In fact, black pepper is rich in a plant compound called piperine. In studies, piperine has been found to help or delay the damaging effects of free radicals (1, 2).
2. Reduced Sense of Pain and Joint Stiffness
Piperine is also a strong joint-health nutrient.
In fact, study after study has shown reduced pain, increased healing, and reduced progress of arthritic outcomes in animals and humans (1).
What’s more, piperine increases the absorption of another pain-fighting food, turmeric, by up to 10x. It does this by stimulating “transporters” in our intestines that are responsible for absorbing nutrients.
Your joints can feel more youthful with black peppercorns!
3. Healthy Digestion
Black pepper stimulates the release of hydrochloric acid in our stomachs, which promotes timely and healthy digestion.
Without adequate amounts, or with high acid levels at the wrong times, many folks suffer from food sitting in their stomachs too long, heartburn, and indigestion.
4. Optimal Cholesterol Levels
Did you know that harmful cholesterol plaques require free radicals to form? What’s more, we must be wary of plaques and arterial stiffness each year we age.
LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) needs free radical oxidation in order to form harmful plaques and blockages. High-antioxidant foods reduce oxidation. And, black peppercorns are one such food.
In fact, black peppers have an ORAC score (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) of 34,053 μ mol TE/100g…above chili powder, raspberries, walnuts, and blueberries.
5. Fiery Metabolism
Another aspect of life we’d love to stay youthful? Our metabolisms!
Each year we age, metabolism falters if we don’t proactively nourish our bodies and build muscle.
In addition, like other peppers, black peppercorns cause our bodies to burn slightly more calories as a mechanism for controlling the “heat” in them. It’s only a small shift, but it can add up. In addition, spicy foods work to help you control portions.
In studies, eating spicy foods leads to less consumption overall.
6. Flatter Youthful Belly and Reduced Bloating
Black peppercorns can also reduce bloating and fluid retention. This is a great advantage after any situation that causes your body to retain fluid. These include:
- Sickness
- Kidney or liver impairment
- Overconsumption of salty and/or sugary foods
- Hot weather
- Injury
- Walking, standing, or working on feet
- Indigestion
How? Similar to the nutrients in celery, black pepper’s antioxidants work as a gentle diuretic that reduces extra water held in our intestines.
7. Fight Cellular Overgrowth
There have actually been many studies in which piperine is used to fight cellular carcinogenic overgrowth. Most of these studies have been performed in labs, not humans or animals.
Nonetheless, the studies have shown promising results.
One 2017 study from Thailand revealed that two phytochemicals in peppercorn had potent anti-overgrowth effects on three types of harmful cells (3).
Additionally, another 2017 study showed that piperine suppressed these cells from growing, invading, and spreading (4).
8. Youthful Heart Function
Piperine is a youthful antioxidant that provides many heart-healthy benefits.
In lab studies, these include reduced fibrosis pathology, reduced LDL cholesterol, and cardiovascular cell protection from oxidative stress (5).
9. Brain Health
Piperine has been shown to support brain function in animal studies.
Specifically, piperine may benefit symptoms related to degenerative brain and memory issues (6, 7).
Two rodent studies, in particular, have shown that piperine supports healthy memory and brain function. What’s more, it may decrease the formation of amyloid plaques (dense clumps of damaging protein fragments associated with brain degeneration) (8, 9).
Human studies are still needed to confirm these results.
How to Eat More Youthful Antioxidants from Black Peppercorns
First, remember that whole, intact foods are almost always better. With black pepper, it’s best to buy the whole peppercorns and eat them whole when cooked or grind them just before eating or cooking with them. Powdered and pre-ground pepper has often lost many of its benefits, and the taste just doesn’t compare.
5 Ways to Get More Black Peppercorn
- Add to your morning brew! These may seem a bit strange, but the spicy flavor of fresh ground black pepper is delicious in coffee.
- Add black peppercorn to your eggs. This one’s a no-brainer. Pepper plus eggs is perfect.
- Mix it into your smoothie. Another new one! Pepper can bring a different, delicious flavor to almost any drink or meal.
- Try whole peppercorn recipes such as our Slow-Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken.
- Add to any Golden Milk to increase absorption. Again, piperine improves the absorption of curcumin, so make sure you add it to golden milk. And, when shopping for turmeric supplements, look for piperine as an ingredient. You’ll find it in this extra potent turmeric supplement!
More Great Sources of Youthful Antioxidants
In addition, you can find youthful antioxidant nutrients in many vibrant fruits, vegetables, and spices. Try:
- Dr. Colbert’s Oleocanthal (an amazingly potent antioxidant from extra virgin olive oil)
- Divine Health Organic Fermented Green Supremefood®
- Divine Health Organic Red Supremefood®
Bottom Line
You don’t need to go out and spend a fortune on this youthful antioxidant. Look on your counter, and add black peppercorn to your foods and drinks throughout the day!
