Organic Peppercorn, black, whole

Ingredient: black peppercorns - berries from the tropical vine Piper nigrum. Country of Origin: Sri Lanka Black peppercorns are produced by picking the pepper berries when they are half ripe and then leaving them to ferment and dry which causes them to shrivel and become dark in color. Native to India, it has been cultivated for thousands of years and at times even been traded as currency. Common use: The pungent spiciness of black pepper is now commonly enjoyed all around the world in all types of dishes. Besides its culinary aspect, black pepper (piperine) is considered to have carminitive, diaphoretic and diuretic. Due to its antifungal and antimicrobialproperties, ground pepper is often used to prevent food spoilage. There is evidence that it can also act synergistically with other spices to enhance their medicinal potency such as boosting blood levels of curcumin from the spice turmeric by up to 2,000% (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/boosting-the-bioavailability-of-curcumin). Some suggest that the outer layer of the peppercorn stimulates the breakdown of fat cells and that black pepper may be an excellent source of manganese and vitamin K, copper, iron, chromium, and calcium.   Storage: Store in a cool, dark, dry place. This product has been packaged in the same facility as peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy products. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.