Black pepper was once known as black gold because of its value. To this day it is the most common used spice (often accompanied with its partner-in-crime, Salt) Native to South India, Vietnam is the world’s biggest producer and exporter of pepper.
Did you know that pepper’s a fruit? Peppercorns grow in drupes (a cluster of fruits) on a flowering vine. So technically they’re a fruit, who knew?
When harvested and dried, the fruit is known as a peppercorn. Black pepper, green pepper and white pepper all come from the same fruit.
- Black pepper is the cooked and dried unripe fruit. It’s cooked to remove the green outer layer.
- Green pepper is dried unripe fruit
- White pepper is the dried ripe seed of the fruit
Pepper is more than just flavour.
- Antioxidant
- Anti inflammatory
- Great for the stomach because it increases hydrochloric acid, which helps to break down our food.
Next time you reach for the pepper to season your food, you might just feel an extra bit of love for where it came from and how it can support our bodies.