Black pepper
Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.
Every diet
It is a dried plant.
No carbohydrate.
Fine for most people at normal amounts.
Rules by country
Black pepper is a food, not an additive, so it has no E-number and no regulator has assessed it as one. What applies instead is the general rules for spices and, in the United States and the EU, the requirement to declare it as an ingredient and to control it for contaminants such as aflatoxin and Salmonella.
What is it?
Piperine is the pungent compound and it does two things at once. It gives pepper its heat, and it inhibits the cytochrome P450 enzymes that clear many medicines from the liver, as well as the P-glycoprotein transporter in the gut wall. That means a spoonful of pepper can raise the blood level of some drugs, which is why it appears in so many supplement warnings.
Where it comes from: The dried unripe fruit of a climbing vine native to South India. The dark color comes from letting the berries dry in the sun, which is also what turns on the piperine and the other pungent compounds.
Why it’s in food
- Seasoning
- Savory flavor
- Klecken
- Sausages and cured meat
- Spice blends
Often found in
Also listed as: Black pepper, Ground black pepper, Black peppercorns, Peppercorns, Piper nigrum, Pepper, black
Health & gut impact
Piperine inhibits CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein, and in a study of the drug propranolol it raised blood levels by about threefold. The practical advice for anyone on regular medication is to keep black pepper intake steady rather than suddenly increasing it, and to ask a pharmacist before taking concentrated piperine supplements.
Shoba and colleagues, influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of propranolol (1998)
A small series of reports described gastric or intestinal perforation in people with gallstones after eating a large amount of black pepper, and none of them after white pepper. It is a rare, much-discussed observation rather than a settled mechanism, but it is the reason the spice gets a caution in clinical texts.
Boron and colleagues, black and white pepper syndrome case series (2006)
Black pepper carries a range of polyphenols, and piperine itself has been studied for effects on blood glucose and on the absorption of other compounds. The amounts in normal cooking are small, so the interest is mostly in concentrated extracts.
Shoba and colleagues, influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of propranolol (1998)
What can I use instead?
Related
More spices & herbs:
Common questions
Is black pepper bad for you?
In normal amounts, no. It is one of the safest spices on a shelf. The caveat is concentrated piperine supplements, and the drug interactions, which is why a pharmacist should know if you take a lot of it.
Does black pepper interact with medication?
It can. Piperine slows down the breakdown of several medicines by the liver, and a study found it raised the blood level of one blood pressure drug substantially. If you take regular medication, keep your intake consistent and mention it if you have started taking a supplement.
Is black pepper spicy or hot?
It is pungent rather than hot. The heat of a chilli comes from capsaicin and the burn of pepper comes from piperine, which is why the two feel quite different and why pepper is called aromatic rather than hot.
Is Black pepper safe?
Generally safe (92/100). Black pepper is a food, not an additive, so it has no E-number and no regulator has assessed it as one. What applies instead is the general rules for spices and, in the United States and the EU, the requirement to declare it as an ingredient and to control it for contaminants such as aflatoxin and Salmonella.
Is Black pepper vegan?
Yes. It is a dried plant.
Spotted a mistake on this page? Report it ›
Scientific sources & regulatory citations
- Shoba and colleagues, influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of propranolol (1998)
- Boron and colleagues, black and white pepper syndrome case series (2006)