Black pepper is one of the most common spices in the world. Many people use it in cooking, but it has also been used as medicine for thousands of years.
Black pepper oil has many health benefits that people are still learning about. Let’s look at what we know so far.
What is Black Pepper Oil?
Black pepper oil comes from peppercorns that grow on a flowering vine. This plant is from southern India, where people have made the oil for over 2,000 years.
To make the oil, dried peppercorn fruits are steam distilled. This creates a green or yellow oil that smells like crushed peppercorns.
How Does It Work?
Black pepper oil contains a substance called piperine. This gives black pepper its sharp, spicy taste. Studies show that piperine may have many health benefits.
People often use black pepper oil in diffusers. Its warm, spicy smell creates a relaxing feeling that helps with stress and worry.
When put on the skin (always mixed with a carrier oil), black pepper oil can help with sore muscles and swelling. Massaging it on your tummy can also help with some digestive problems.
8 Key Benefits of Black Pepper Oil
1. Helps with Pain
Black pepper oil warms the area where you apply it. This can soothe aching muscles, joints, and tendons. It has properties that reduce swelling and can relax muscles to calm pain.
Studies show it works well for neck pain when used on the skin. Always mix it with a carrier oil to protect your skin.
2. Improves Digestion
Black pepper oil can both relax and stimulate muscles, depending on how much you use. This means it can ease painful cramps and help your digestion work better.
Studies with rats showed that piperine helped with both IBS and low mood. Since these two problems are often linked, this is an exciting finding.
3. Helps Heart Health
Heart disease is the top cause of death worldwide. High cholesterol is one of the main reasons.
Studies with rats found that black pepper lowered fat and cholesterol levels. Other research showed that piperine may help lower blood pressure too.
Since high blood pressure and cholesterol often go together, black pepper oil might be a helpful home remedy as part of a healthy diet.
4. Reduces Cigarette Cravings
Quitting smoking is hard. It affects people physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Scientists found that breathing in black pepper oil can reduce cigarette cravings and ease anxiety. People who used the oil had fewer withdrawal symptoms and felt less anxious than those who didn’t.
5. Helps Control Blood Sugar
Studies found that rats given black pepper extract with glucose had smaller blood sugar spikes than those without it.
In human studies, overweight people taking supplements with piperine showed better insulin response after 8 weeks. However, these supplements had other compounds too, so more research is needed.
6. May Improve Brain Function
Early animal studies suggest piperine could help brain function and might help with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
In one study, rats with Alzheimer’s who received piperine were better at finding their way through a maze. Another study showed piperine might reduce harmful protein clumps in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s.
7. Provides Antioxidant Protection
Our bodies can be damaged by free radicals from things like cigarette smoke, pollution, and UV rays.
Studies with rats suggest that piperine and black pepper may reduce this damage. Rats on a high-fat diet who were given black pepper showed less free radical damage than those without it.
8. May Fight Cancer
Lab studies show that piperine might slow the growth of colon, prostate, and breast cancer cells. It may also help with drug resistance in cancer cells, which could make chemotherapy work better.
However, no human trials have been done yet.
How to Use Black Pepper Oil
As a Massage Oil
When mixed with a carrier oil and applied to skin, black pepper oil warms the area to ease pain in muscles and joints. Some people use it on their tummy to reduce IBS cramping.
In Aromatherapy
Using black pepper oil in a diffuser spreads its warm, spicy smell. This creates a calming space that helps with stress and worry.
History of Black Pepper Oil
Ancient Romans used black pepper as money because it was so valuable. Greeks showed off their wealth by owning it.
In the Middle Ages, Europeans used black pepper to preserve meat and cover bad smells. It was a key part of the spice trade for hundreds of years.
Recently, scientists have found many health benefits of black pepper. For example, it can help with the skin condition vitiligo by boosting pigment production.
Safety Tips
- Always dilute black pepper oil before putting it on your skin
- Do a patch test first to make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin
- Never swallow black pepper oil (or any essential oil) as it can be toxic
Black pepper oil smells like freshly crushed peppercorns but has hints of floral and green scents too. Unlike ground pepper, you can smell the oil without sneezing or getting watery eyes!
Featured Product
Black Pepper Essential Oil (Piper Nigrum) 10ml
Looking to try black pepper oil for yourself? Our 10ml bottle of pure Black Pepper Essential Oil is the perfect way to start.
This oil comes from plants grown in tropical regions like India, Malaysia and Indonesia. We make it through steam distillation of whole peppercorn fruits to keep all its natural goodness.
Our Black Pepper Oil is great for:
- Easing sore muscles and joints
- Helping with arthritis pain
- Improving digestion
- Boosting blood flow
It blends well with many oils like lavender, lemon and bergamot. For muscle pain, mix 1-2 drops with a carrier oil and massage onto sore areas. For a calming room scent, add a few drops to your diffuser.
Please note: Always dilute before using on skin (1-2% strength is best). This powerful oil brings warming relief where you need it most.
Try our Black Pepper Essential Oil today and discover its many benefits for your health and home.
Photo “Namel” by Anthony Cunningham for Zoom Health
Zoom Health is a leading UK supplier of Home Health Tests and Earplugs
