Negro pepper is an amazing spice with amazing health benefits.
We rely on spices as the key ingredient for preparing and processing food all over the world. Plants that are used as spices have strong pungent and aromatic scents that make dishes very delectable. Species are dried plants that are used to give flavour and aroma. Examples include Negro pepper, curry, thyme, and nutmeg.
Negro pepper (xylopia aethiopica) is one of the major spices that are used in the preparation of local foods and medicines in sub-Saharan Africa. It is from the Amonaceae family and it is commonly called Hwentia in Akan–Asante, Kimba in Hausa, Uda in Igbo, and Erunje or Erinje in Yoruba.
The high demand for Negro pepper as a spice is due to its high constituents of essential phytochemical compounds and beneficial nutritional value.
Hwentia is originally from Africa, South America, and Brazil, where it is categorized among the top lists of aromatic spices. The smoky aroma of the Negro pepper is because the green pods are usually smoked while drying.
Read also: 10 Magical Health Benefits of Cloves and Side Effects
Health Benefits of Negro Pepper
- Negro pepper can be used as a preservative.
- The crushed seeds of Negro pepper are very effective in the treatment of itches, boil, and skin eruptions when applied directly on the skin.
- Regular consumption of negro pepper promotes weight loss to ensure healthy weight control.
- Nursing mothers should consume Negro pepper to boost their production of milk after childbirth and appetite.
- The use of Negro pepper is good for fighting malaria due to its anti-malaria property.
- The antioxidant properties in Negro pepper help to prevent and destroy the growth of cancer cells.
- Consumption of Negro pepper by women after delivery helps to facilitate the healing of wounds in the womb and the recovery process.
- Regular consumption of Negro pepper is good for the treatment of infectious ailments such as colds, coughs, and flu.
- Negro pepper contains essential oils which can be used for producing cosmetics such as perfumes, foaming liquids, soaps, repellents, and creams.
- Negro pepper can be used in folk medicines for increasing menstrual blood flow. That is for treating an abnormal absence of menstruation.
- Negro pepper is good for combating respiratory discomforts such as Asthma, Pneumonia, and Bronchitis.
- The antibacterial properties of Negro pepper are used for treating toothache.
- Negro pepper is used as a natural contraceptive to control the spacing of children by boiling the seeds with only water and taking the solution after sexual intercourse.
- The analgesic effect of Negro pepper is good to reduce general pain.
- It helps to boost fertility in women.
References
Abolaji O.A., Adebayo A. H, and Odesanmi O.S. (2007), Nutritional Qualities of three medical plants (Xylopia aethiopica, Blughia sapida, and Parinari polyandra), commonly used by pregnant women in some parts of Africa.
Puvanendran, S., Wickrammasinghe, A., Karunaratne, D.N., Carr, G., Wijesundara, D.S.A., Andersen, R. and Karunaratne,(2008), Antioxidant constituents from Xylopia championiiPharmaceutical Biology, 46(5): pp.352-354
