Black pepper is one of the most commonly used ingredients throughout the world. In fact, you probably have some on your spice rack right now! What you may not know is that peppercorn contains a compound known as piperine. Piperine gives black pepper its signature flavor, but it's also been shown to have various health benefits. Find out more about this compound below.
What Is Piperine?
Piperine is a standardized extract derived from the long pepper or black pepper, where it's the chief active ingredient. In its purest form, piperine is a pale yellow or white powder, and it accounts for most of the alkaloids — organic plant compounds — found in black pepper. This compound has often been used in various forms of traditional medicines.
What Are the Benefits of Piperine?
Studies have shown that piperine can offer numerous health benefits. Piperine may have potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Combining nutrients like turmeric and curcumin with piperine can enhance the positive effects of these nutrients and may help promote a healthy body and mind. Discover more about these and other piperine health benefits below:
1. Encourages Nutrient Absorption
Your body needs to get all the essential nutrients it can from what you drink or eat, and piperine can help. Encouraging nutrient absorption can help your body get more out of what you consume.
2. Stimulates the Metabolism
In addition to encouraging nutrient absorption, piperine can help improve your metabolism by enhancing thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is the process that breaks down fat cells and increases body temperature. Piperine can enhance the process of thermogenesis and help regulate and maintain a healthy weight. While this overall benefit may be slight, combining piperine with turmeric or curcumin and leading a healthy lifestyle can help stimulate your metabolism and achieve a healthy weight.
3. Boosts the Immune System
This black pepper compound can help improve immune system function and regulate overly sensitive reactivity to maintain a healthy immune system. A healthy immune system plays a vital role in your body, protecting you from bacteria, germs and other harmful substances, keeping you healthy and reducing the risk of getting sick.
4. Increases Dopamine and Serotonin
Piperine may also help increase levels of dopamine and serotonin, two essential chemicals for promoting a proper mood and lower levels of stress, anxiety and depression. Many researchers believe that an imbalance in serotonin levels may negatively influence mood and lead to depression, meaning piperine can potentially reverse those effects.
5. Enhances Memory
Piperine can help improve the neurotransmission of certain chemicals, including beta-endorphin and serotonin. These two chemicals play an important role in a healthy memory. In addition to memory, piperine can help improve several mental skills, such as attention and reasoning. Piperine may help to reduce sluggish feelings or improve a general lack of motivation, as well.
Piperine and Turmeric
Turmeric is a common spice in the ginger family that is used throughout Indian and Asian cuisines. The root of turmeric is also widely used in medication and natural treatments. To maximize the health benefits of turmeric, you can combine it with piperine. Piperine helps your body absorb the beneficial nutrients turmeric offers, meaning the two can create a duo that potentially leads to benefits like:
- Reducing inflammation: Turmeric is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects. That benefit can improve chronic inflammation, which is associated with joint pain and other conditions like heart disease, arthritis, osteoarthritis and diabetes.
- Providing antioxidants: Turmeric can increase the antioxidant capacity of the body. Antioxidants can help to neutralize free radicals, which damage your cells, and improve overall health.
- Preventing cancer: Some studies have shown that turmeric may help to prevent cancer from developing. Continuing research also suggests turmeric or curcumin may be an effective addition to traditional cancer treatments.
- Lowering bad cholesterol: Studies have shown turmeric may help lower LDL cholesterol levels. Regulating cholesterol levels can help ensure heart health and lower your risk for heart disease.
Piperine and Curcumin
Curcumin is a compound in turmeric, and it's considered to be the active ingredient that gives turmeric its health benefits. With piperine, your body can better absorb the curcumin compound when you eat or drink something with turmeric. That means combining turmeric, curcumin and black pepper provides many health benefits and can even treat or prevent certain medical conditions. Check out the benefits piperine and curcumin are thought to offer together:- Improving brain function: Curcumin may increase brain-derived neurotrophic factors, which have been linked to improved brain function. This compound may reduce your risk of various brain diseases, as well.
- Reducing the risk of heart disease: According to research, curcumin can help prevent the development of clogged arteries, which are risk factors for strokes and heart attacks. Curcumin can also reduce inflammation and oxidation, which also can contribute to developing heart disease.
- Preventing Alzheimer's disease: Curcumin may help improve memory and brain functions. Studies have found curcumin may help in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Curcumin can help maintain the normal structure and function of various brain structures to potentially reduce risk factors for some chronic diseases, too.
- Alleviating arthritis symptoms: Many patients have responded well to adding curcumin as an effective treatment to alleviate arthritis symptoms. Studies have shown patients with osteoarthritis experience pain relief while taking curcumin and report fewer side effects than those taking traditional treatments.
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Minimizing the effects of anxiety and depression: Another benefit of curcumin is that it may help those dealing with stress, anxiety or depression. Continuing research suggests curcumin shows promise as an effective depression treatment.
Shop Drinks Infused With Piperine, Turmeric and Curcumin From ZYN
At ZYN, all of our drinks contain curcumin combined with piperine to enhance your body's ability to absorb this beneficial nutrient. Our shop features a range of bold flavors that are delicious and can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. We believe in the power of Mother Nature and how turmeric and curcumin can potentially provide various medical benefits.
In addition to turmeric and curcumin, ZYN drinks are fortified with vitamin C and vitamin D to help support a healthy immune system. Our beverages feature 200 mg of curcumin in every bottle, equivalent to approximately 15 turmeric roots. We always stay true to our roots and pride ourselves on using only clean ingredients and offering the highest-quality drinks to everyone.
Check out our shop and try one of our crisp, delicious flavors today!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.