Pepper...

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) King of Spices.

A perennial climbing vine of the family Piperacease, native to Malabar Coast of India.

The black pepper plant is a climber, reaches almost 10meters which requires long rainy season, moderately high temperature. They start bearing in 2 to 5 years and lasts for almost 40years which are also grown in tea or coffee plantations. Starts flowering in the spikes and becomes fruits also called as peppercorns. They mature and bear a single seed with aromatic odor, characteristic flavor due to the presence of piperine.

Green peppercorns first appear by year end which are handpicked and dried in sun for green peppercorn. When the mature unripe berries are boiled, fermented and dried which turns them into black peppercorn. When they are soaked in water, black skin is removed to get white peppercorns. Red peppercorns appear when they fully ripen in the vine for another 2 months.

Apart from the usage as spice around the world, Pepper also has a usage in medicine as a carminative and a stimulant of gastric secretions. Considered as a vital healing spice in Ayurveda with its medicinal value which is packed with potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin K and vitamin C.

The global pepper market revenue in 2018 is estimated to $4.1billion, Vietnam being the largest pepper production country in the world (36% of global production – 200k tones in 2019) followed by Brazil, Indonesia and India. Market is expected to grow with projected volume to 840k tones by end of 2025.

India known as spice country, were large portion of cultivation happens in Southern part of India and popular is Malabar black pepper from Kerala (40% of India production), Karnataka, Tamilnadu and few other southern states. Tellicherry peppercorns India considered as the finest pepper in the world, also Kampot pepper of Cambodia acknowledged as the best pepper in the world and has earned Geographical Indication (PGI).

Few lines from Hoang Thi Lien – Ececutive Director – International Pepper Community.

As of today, there are no specific vaccines or treatment for Corona virus Diseases and the possible way of dealing is by preventing and slowing down its transmission. Aside from implementing the common social/physical distancing method, we ought to try to live and eat as healthy as possible so that our immunity is strong and can defeat the Corona virus.

Black Pepper is widely acclaimed for its ability to boost the immune system.