Black Pepper Essential Oil : Health Benefits and How to Use

Black Pepper Essential Oil : Health Benefits and How to Use
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Black pepper is an essential ingredient of Indian cooking. It is not only used to provide cooked food with an aromatic and appetizing flavor, but also to aid in the digestion process. Black Pepper, apart from enhancing the flavor of the food, is also rich in nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, iron, vitamin K and beta carotene.

The plant is native to India, Malaysia, Madagascar and Indonesia. The essential oil is extracted by means of steam distillation from unripe peppercorns which have been sundried. The oil is anything from the color of water to the color of pale olive and has a spicy, uplifting aroma.

Let’s now look at the health benefits of black pepper essential oil.

Health Benefits

Digestive System

Black Pepper oil stimulates the digestive system by allowing the release of stomach acids and bile to help break down food better. Black pepper, although high on the spicy side, does not cause adverse effects in cases of ulcer of the mouth or stomach, unlike chilies.

On top of that, it does a good job in expelling and preventing the formation of gas in the stomach and intestines. It also keeps at bay the bacteria which is responsible for the gas formation.

Black pepper oil is mildly purgative. It helps clean the intestines and prevents infections in the excretory and digestive systems.

Arthritis and Rheumatism Relief

Those suffering from rheumatism and arthritis would find a good measure of relief via black pepper essential oil. Black pepper oil has a two-pronged benefit as far as rheumatism is concerned.

Since black pepper essential oil is warming and stimulating, it improves blood circulation thus offering almost instant relief for cases of rheumatism and arthritis especially in cold weather when the conditions are aggravated. Secondly, black pepper oil has a cleansing effect. It works to purify blood by getting rid of uric acid from it. This provides a measure of relief to those suffering from not only the above two conditions, but also from gout.

Anti Oxidant

Black pepper does an excellent job in protecting the body from the assault of free radicals or oxidants. Thus it helps delays the undesirable effects of aging like memory loss, muscular degeneration, skin wrinkling and mobility loss in joints, among others.

How to Use

Black pepper essential oil is used in aromatherapy to activate the spirits and give rise to a positive emotional state. It’s also effective for stimulating the memory and relieving mental exhaustion.

Black pepper oil can be used by means of burners and vaporizers. In vapor therapy it could be used for conditions such as chills and colds. It can be diluted in a warm bath for muscular aches, gout, arthritis and rheumatism, as it assists with blood circulation.

It can be blended with other oil to form massage oil and can also be blended in base cream to provide relief for the above conditions. Black pepper oil blends well with that of rosemary, marjoram, frankincense, sandalwood and lavender.

Precautions

Despite the multitude of health benefits that come with the use of black pepper essential, care must be exercised in its use. It may cause irritation when used on the skin and excessive use internally can lead to the overstimulation of the kidneys. It should be avoided in pregnancy.

References

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-black-pepper-essential-oil.html - health benefits of black pepper essential oil

https://www.essentialoils.co.za/essential-oils/black-pepper.htm - black pepper essential oil origin, how to use and precautions

Disclaimer

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