The health benefits of black pepper essential oil can be attributed to its properties as a digestive, diaphoretic, carminative, aperient, antispasmodic, antirheumatic, antiarthritic, antibacterial, and antioxidant substance.
What is Black Pepper Essential Oil?
Black pepper essential oil is derived from black pepper which is considered a condiment or a spice that is very common and popular throughout the world. Black pepper is the dried fruit of the pepper plant, whose scientific name is Piper nigrum. It is extensively used in culinary applications and tastes hot and has an appetizing aroma.
In the distant past, it was considered sacred and was even used as a form of currency. It was so valuable that it was traded for gold and was one of the most prized trade items exported from India to the rest of the world. It was considered more valuable than gold.
The main components of the black pepper essential oil are limonene, pinene, myrcene, phellandrene, beta-caryophyllene, beta-bisabolene, sabinene, linalool, pinocarveol, alpha-termineol, camphene and alpha-terpenene. Apart from those, black pepper is also rich in minerals and vitamins like calcium, manganese, iron, vitamin K, beta-carotene, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium.
Black Pepper Essential Oil Health Benefits
Let’s explore more about the wide range of impressive health benefits that black pepper essential oil has in store for us!
Improves Digestion
Black pepper is remarkably beneficial for digestion because it stimulates the whole digestive system, from the salivary glands in the mouth to the large intestine, including promoting secretion of digestive juices like acids and bile into the stomach to facilitating digestion. Black pepper can be safely used as a spice in the food of people who are on a bland diet or are otherwise forbidden to have chilies. People suffering from ulcer of the mouth or digestive system, jaundice, or extreme acidity should avoid consuming chili peppers. Black pepper is a delicious and healthy alternative. [1]
Relieves Spasms
It is an effective antispasmodic and gives good relief in case of cramps, muscles pulls, spasms, or convulsions.
Black pepper essential oil helps to improve circulation and ease aching muscles. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Eliminates Excess Gas
Black pepper essential oil is carminative and helps remove gases and prohibit additional gas formation in the stomach and in the intestines. It also helps inhibit bacteria that are responsible for the formation of gas.
Cleans Excretory System
Black pepper oil has mild purgative properties, but it is safe for the system, unlike other purgatives like castor oil. It helps clean the intestines and at the same time, reduces infections in the digestive and the excretory system.
Reduces Arthritis Pain
This is one of the best qualities of black pepper oil. It is warming, stimulating and improves circulation, thereby giving immediate relief for rheumatism and arthritis, particularly during the winter when the symptoms are aggravated the most. It is also effective in removing toxins like uric acid from the blood, thereby benefiting people suffering from chronic rheumatism, arthritis, and gout.
Increases Urination
Black pepper oil, when ingested, increases sweating and urination. Both of these properties play an important role in the removal of toxins from the body, clearing of the pores on the skin, and disinfecting the body. Sweating and urinating help eliminate extra water and fat from the body, thereby reducing weight, lowering blood pressure and making the body very relaxed. These properties are also helpful for reducing inflammation.
Detoxifies Body
This is yet another beneficial property of black pepper oil. It protects the body from damages done by oxidants (free radicals) and also helps to repair those damages that have already been done. It also delays adverse effects of aging such as vision loss, macular degeneration, wrinkling of the skin, degeneration, and loosening of the muscles, loss of mobility in the joints, nervous disorders, and memory loss.
Treats Bacterial Infections
It has good antibacterial properties that you can enjoy without any adverse side effects. It is very effective in curing bacterial infections in the mouth, colon, digestive system, and urinary tract. It also disinfects food that it is added to and protects them from bacterial infections for long periods.
Other Benefits
Black pepper oil is rich in certain useful minerals and vitamins too. For example, there is vitamin A (beta-carotene), which is very beneficial for ocular health as well as for antioxidant activity. It has vitamin K, which is essential for maintaining proper circulatory and metabolic functions, muscles, and bones. Furthermore, it has calcium, potassium, and selenium. While calcium is good for bones and potassium for regulating blood pressure, selenium is essentially required for the proper formation of bones, nails, hair follicles and teeth, as well as for proper functioning of the brain. [2]
Word of Caution: There is nothing to be inherently scared of when it comes to black pepper oil, except that if taken in large quantities, it may cause uneasiness, unrest, vomiting, loose motions, irritation and inflammation of the intestines, sleeplessness, overheating, and smelling strongly of pepper. However, there is nothing serious about these symptoms. That being said, keep pepper away from the eyes and nose, as it may cause irritation, sneezing, and burning of the eyes.
Blending: Black pepper oil can be blended with lemon, lime, lavender, sage, sandalwood, mandarin, ylang-ylang, juniper, bergamot, clary sage, clove, ginger, geranium, coriander, grapefruit, fennel, and frankincense oils.
