Although not as popular as other tea varieties such as red tea, green tea, and milk tea, black pepper tea is slowly emerging as a healthy drink that’s being consumed by health-conscious individuals.
We all know about the benefits of consuming black pepper with hot water. It’s a well-known home remedy that’s especially used to cure cough, bloating, and indigestion amongst other ailments.
Black pepper tea takes this concoction a step further by allowing the black peppercorns to be infused in hot water by boiling it. This ensures a stronger, more potent mixture with more effective healing properties and health benefits.
Black pepper tea can be made in a variety of ways. It can be made using just black peppercorns or along with other ingredients. Herbs and spices like ginger, lemongrass, or cinnamon can be added to it, depending on the taste or health benefits you’re targeting.
Below is a simple black pepper tea recipe –
Black Pepper Tea Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns coarsely grounded
- 1 teaspoon honey
- A squeeze of lemon juice
Method:
- In a pot or saucepan, heat up the water till boiling temperature. Once the water has boiled, add in the ground peppercorns and let it simmer for 5 – 10 minutes depending on how strong you’d like your tea to be.
- When the mixture has simmered and reduced slightly in quantity, strain the mixture into a cup.
- Add in a squeeze of lemon and honey as per taste.
Your black pepper tea is now ready!
You can also add slivers of ginger, cardamom pods, cinnamon, bay leaves, or even lemongrass to your black pepper tea.
What Are the Health Benefits of Consuming Black Pepper Tea?
Apart from being an effective remedy for several ailments, black pepper tea can prove to be exceptionally beneficial for the body. Here are some of the benefits of consuming black pepper tea regularly:
1. It Can Help Fight Cold and Cough Symptoms
Black pepper is an age-old remedy that has been used to treat cough and cold symptoms. Black pepper tea can help in stimulating the nasal passages and the throat. This provides relief from sneezing, runny nose, and cough.
Black pepper also helps in warming the back of the throat and soothing the tonsils hence it can be used as a remedy to soothe a cough and even tonsilitis.
2. It Can Help Improve Digestion
Black pepper has been used to treat indigestion for centuries. This is because pepper aids in stimulating the secretion of stomach acids that facilitate proper digestion.
Consuming black pepper tea can stimulate the digestive tract, allowing the digestive system to work more efficiently and helping overall digestion.
Stomach and digestive disorders such as excess gas, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea can be relieved with a cup of black pepper tea as it effectively soothes the stomach.
3. It Can Be Effective in Reducing Inflammation
Owing to its high antioxidant content, black pepper tea can be an effective drink to reduce inflammation levels in the body.
This is due to the compound called ‘piperine’ that is found in black pepper which studoes have shown is effective in fighting inflammation levels in the body, even chronic inflammation.
This can help reduce unpleasant symptoms associated with certain conditions such as arthritis, swelling, and joint pain.
4. It May Help Improve Heart Health
Black pepper tea can help in alleviating symptoms associated with heart disease. It can help in improving the overall health of the heart while lowering the risk of developing heart disease.
The active compound found in black pepper i.e., Piperine have been shown to help in increasing the health of blood vessels while controlling blood sugar levels.
Black pepper tea can also aid in lowering harmful cholesterol levels in the body. All these effects are due to the high levels of antioxidants found in black pepper tea which can be greatly beneficial for cardiovascular health.
5. It Can Be an Effective Immunity Booster
Black pepper tea especially when consumed regularly can help in giving your immunity a boost. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits of this tea can be effective in reducing the risk of unwanted diseases and keep infections such as the flu and the common cold at bay.
This is also due to the potent antibacterial properties of black pepper along with its high levels of nutrition.
How Often Should I Drink Black Pepper Tea?
This simple yet effective drink provides a soothing and invigorating experience and it can prove to be especially beneficial to counteract cold and cough symptoms and digestive issues.
However, black pepper tea can be enjoyed simply for its taste and the soothing experience it provides.
A cup of black pepper tea a day is enough to reap the numerous health benefits of the wholesome beverage made from the king of spices. Now that you know all about black pepper tea benefits, why don’t you brew yourself a cup?
