Dalby, Andrew (2002). Dangerous Tastes. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-23674-5.

However, the Portuguese proved unable to monopolize the spice trade. Older Arab and Venetian trade networks successfully imported enormous quantities of spices, and pepper once again flowed through Alexandria and Italy, as well as around Africa. In the 17th century, the Portuguese lost almost all of their valuable Indian Ocean trade to the Dutch and the English, who, taking advantage of the Spanish rule over Portugal during the Iberian Union (1580–1640), occupied by force almost all Portuguese interests in the area. The pepper ports of Malabar began to trade increasingly with the Dutch in the period 1661–1663.These peppercorns have been ground to a fine powder. Making them perfect for dishes where you want an even distribution of flavor. Cleaner technology for white pepper production". The Hindu Business line. 27 March 2008. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008 . Retrieved 29 January 2009. However, excessive free radicals can be formed with exposure to things like pollution, cigarette smoke, and sun rays ( 3).

One study found that taking 20 mg of piperine with 2 grams of curcumin improved the availability of curcumin in human blood by 2,000% ( 13). Marco Polo testifies to pepper's popularity in 13th-century China, when he relates what he is told of its consumption in the city of Kinsay ( Hangzhou): "...Messer Marco heard it stated by one of the Great Kaan's officers of customs that the quantity of pepper introduced daily for consumption into the city of Kinsay amounted to 43loads, each load being equal to 223lbs." [40]

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A peppercorn takes about 30 minutes to digest. If you want to speed up this process, you can crush the peppercorn first. This will make it easier for you to swallow. Dalby, p. 156; also Turner, pp. 108–109, though Turner does go on to discuss spices (not pepper specifically) being used to disguise the taste of partially spoiled wine or ale. In fact, studies in animal intestinal cells found that piperine in doses of 4.5 mg per pound (10 mg per kg) of body weight was comparable to the common antidiarrheal medication loperamide in preventing spontaneous intestinal contractions ( 20, 22).

su_youtube_advanced url = “https://youtu.be/VfmRqEoI1Gs” controls = “no” rel = “no” fs = “no” modestbranding = “yes”] Health Benefits Could Be Attained In particular, it may improve the absorption of curcumin — the active ingredient in the popular anti-inflammatory spice turmeric ( 11, 12). James A. Duke (16 August 1993). CRC Handbook of Alternative Cash Crops. CRC Press. p.395. ISBN 978-0-8493-3620-1 . Retrieved 29 January 2009. Excess free radical damage may lead to major health problems. For example, it has been linked to inflammation, premature aging, heart disease, and certain cancers ( 4, 5, 6). Peppercorn has a long history of being a highly sought-after spice, considered a luxury for a long time. Now, we can access peppercorns and pepper by running to the grocery store. Peppercorn was once considered a luxury because it has incredible health benefits and is excellent at seasoning bland meals.

a b Jaramillo, M. Alejandra; Manos (2001). "Phylogeny and Patterns of Floral Diversity in the Genus Piper (Piperaceae)". American Journal of Botany. 88 (4): 706–16. doi: 10.2307/2657072. JSTOR 2657072. PMID 11302858. Archived from the original on 30 June 2010 . Retrieved 20 February 2022. Pepper was so valuable that it was often used as collateral or even currency. The taste for pepper (or the appreciation of its monetary value) was passed on to those who would see Rome fall. Alaric, king of the Visigoths, included 3,000 pounds of pepper as part of the ransom he demanded from Rome when he besieged the city in the fifth century. [31] After the fall of Rome, others took over the middle legs of the spice trade, first the Persians and then the Arabs; Innes Miller cites the account of Cosmas Indicopleustes, who travelled east to India, as proof that "pepper was still being exported from India in the sixth century". [32] By the end of the Early Middle Ages, the central portions of the spice trade were firmly under Islamic control. Once into the Mediterranean, the trade was largely monopolized by Italian powers, especially Venice and Genoa. The rise of these city-states was funded in large part by the spice trade.