Black Pepper | Kali Mirch

In general people tend to have an extreme taste palette, where people at one end like to consume excessive spices in their food and at the other end of the spectrum, there are people who have a tendency to eat bland food, owing to several reasons, couple of them are-

·        They are suffering from various kinds of illnesses or

·        They are following a spiritual path and so they have renounced all the spices in their diet and strictly consume *Sattvic foods.

*Sattvic foods are a fundamental concept in the ancient Indian systems of Ayurveda and yoga. These foods are not just about sustenance; they are seen as a pathway to achieving balance, purity, and harmony within oneself. The term "Sattvic" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Sattva," which means purity, goodness, and harmony. Sattvic eating is rooted in the belief that the foods we consume directly impact our physical health, mental clarity, and spiritual growth.

But our suggestion is that it is a better decision to opt for a middle path. Because even spices are a gift from nature to us humans and we should accept it whole heartedly. Spices play a very active role in keeping the digestive fires alive and kicking.

For example: when we consume foods like bottle gourd (ghiya) or when we stay hungry for prolonged periods of time, digestive fire in our stomach weakens. To reignite it we have to take help from the spices.

One of the most common spices is Black Pepper and rather we can term it as ‘King of the Spices’, because it is staple in every kitchen, every dining table across the world whether at homes or at any restaurant, where it is kept as a condiment along with the humble salt.

Kali Mirch ko English mein kya kehte hain?

Ans. Black Pepper.

Black Pepper is known as Kali Mirch in Hindi and is known for it’s hot and biting flavour but it is on the lighter side as compared to red and green chillies. It is very well known for its digestive properties in Ayurveda and plays a very important role in the production of digestive enzymes in the stomach. Black Pepper when used in moderation while cooking acts as a food for constipation relief.

But we have to be careful and we must remember the following properties of black pepper so that it can be used safely while consuming Black Pepper.

It is dry and hot in nature like Ajwain (Carom seeds). In ayurvedic terms it is Kafa Nashak or in other words it will help pacify the excessive Kafa in the body. It is also helps in Pacifying Vata and can also be called as Vata Nashak. But due to it’s dry and hot nature it is not recommended for people whose bodies are Pitta Pradhan also understood as Pitta Dosha is the primary dosha in their bodies. They should avoid Black Pepper. (To know more about your ayurvedic body type we will recommend our readers to take our online quiz to find out more about their body type, it is one of the most comprehensive quizzes out there because it also measures your psychological health along with your physical health and since it is free, it is worth checking out.) People who are suffering from Jaundice, acidity or severe heartburn should also avoid spices and chillies of all sorts. Other symptoms like red spots on your skin, colour of urine is dark yellow in colour or if anyone is generally feeling very hot all the time can also avoid the usage of black pepper.

It has anthelmintic properties -

 
An anthelmintic is a type of medication or substance that is specifically used to treat and eradicate parasitic worms, known as helminths, from the gastrointestinal tract or other parts of the body. These parasitic worms can include various types of roundworms, tapeworms, flukes, and other intestinal parasites that can infect humans and animals.

 For best results it is advisable to use black pepper raw and whole while cooking. The reason behind not crushing it or using black pepper powder while cooking is that it not only provides food with more flavour but at the same time its medicinal value in food is higher when cooked as whole.

As a note of caution, crushed spices should be avoided if the patient is experiencing kidney problems like high creatinine levels or if there is swelling in feet.

One more recommended way of consuming black pepper in food is by adding raw peppercorns to rice while cooking, it will not only enhance the flavour but it will also prevent bloating. In case of cough, it is recommended to chew a couple of peppercorns to stop it. In case if you are experiencing dry cough, we will recommend to roast the peppercorns in a bit of ghee and then use them.