There are white and black peppers and they are grown on the same plant. There is a difference between white and black pepper and that can be found in their processing. However, if you change the preparations, you will get some subtle as well as non-subtle changes in flavor, color, and consistency. You have to continue reading to enjoy what we have in stock for you about white and black pepper.
Where Pepper Comes From
Our usual thought of pepper is that it originates from peppercorns that are berries of Piper nigrum (pepper plant). This is a very different pepper plant from chili peppers that we usually pick at our local supermarket or grow in gardens.
Peppercorns are natives of Southeast Asia and India where it grows on vines. Just like many vegetables and fruits, they usually start growing green before they become ripen to turn red rich color. You may get a final product that is white, green, or black which depends on why you harvest them and how you have dried them.
How Pepper Is Made
When you want to make ground peppers that we usually buy, we first harvest the berries and then dry them. The berry is likely to get pickled if you pick it when it is still green because it doesn’t dry well. Most pink and red peppercorns are not actually peppercorns in any way but they are berries of another pepper tree which is a native of Brazil.
You can get black pepper by drying almost mature berries. When you want to dry them, you first boil them quickly and then spread them in the sun for them to dry. They can sometimes be dried in the oven and this is done generally by some commercial organizations but the sunshine in Southeast Asia and India is very hot to get it done quickly. When they begin to dry, their skin becomes darker and they eventually turn black completely.
White pepper can also be made from berries that are about to ripe but before you dry them, you will remove the skin and this is why their color will become lost. Ripe berries have very fragile skin, so when you pass constant water flow on them, they get completely removed. They will be dried once they are baby-bottom smooth.
White Pepper Benefits
When you check the nutritional and health benefits of both white and black pepper, they are quite similar because they are from the same plant only that they have been processed differently. However, for some recipes, you can associate some benefits to them when you choose white pepper.
Generally, white pepper has been considered to spicier than it’s black variety even though its profile of the flavor is less complex. This means that you will only get little taste with a lot of heat. Certain compounds are present within the peppercorns skin that usually add flavor and depth to black pepper that cannot be found in white, also included is something a bit floral or fruity.
You can best use white pepper in recipes where you need a bit of heat and you wouldn’t want to disturb its flavor. You can also go for white pepper if you wouldn’t want black pepper specks to ruin the beautiful presentation, most especially for oil sautees and light garlic or cream sauces. White pepper can also be used perfectly for pepper and salt blends inside a grinder or shaker without the white and black contrast.
Substitute of White Pepper
All you want for your dish is something to spice it up and that means black pepper can be used as a substitute for white pepper in any recipe even though you might add extra so that you will have equal heat level. It could be a little tricky when you use black pepper to substitute white pepper in creamy or colored sauces because the pepper is likely to be more noticeable.
You could also try to add ground cayenne pepper depending on your dish because the powder is likely to blend into the sauce less conspicuously though you will likely require a less to get equal heat. You may substitute ½ white pepper tablespoon for 1/8 cayenne pepper tablespoon.
Storage of White Pepper
Another thing you should know about white pepper might be that it will likely become staler quicker than its black variety. Black pepper can last between two and three years ground and about six years as an entire peppercorn. However, you should use ground white pepper within a year and the entire peppercorn can last between two and three years when you store in an air-tight container usually in the absence of light. It is likely for white pepper to become spoilt, losing its potency and this makes many chefs replace their supplies within six months.
Black Pepper Benefits
Black pepper is very healthy despite that it is most time not taken seriously. Contained in it are antioxidants with a lot of micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Pepper has also been of use in traditional and ancient healing that is used to improve series of conditions such as a decrease in blood pressure, improvement of digestion, and reducing inflammation. These properties concerning anti-inflammation help to lower the risk of almost all chronic known diseases ranging from cancer to asthma.
There are several benefits associated with turmeric and you will get to understand that you need some help to absorb curcumin, the crucial components properly. Capsaicin and peperine are two effective compounds that help to boost the rate of absorption and contained in pepper is almost 10% of peperine. You will also get help in absorbing some other nutrients like selenium, calcium, and several other ones
Uses of Black Pepper
Pepper is certainly added to the majority of the dinners you eat and sometimes to your lunches. Pepper helps to add earthily and heat flavor to almost all savory meals and we get very used to it that when it is missing, we always take notice.
You can add your pepper to your bowl of strawberries and it will help to balance any kind of tartness in the berry so that the natural sweetness will be enhanced. If you can add balsamic vinegar into the mix, it will even take the flavor further. This is a technique that you can use for any fruit whose flavor is a combination of sweet-sour and you will just want to put your focus on its sweet flavor.
You can also use pepper for purposes not related to food. Some pests such as ants always avoid pepper so it means you can sprinkle your pepper in the path where they pass so that they will stay away from your vicinity.
Side Effects of Black Pepper
Pepper causes sneezing and you might want to be careful of that. Some people sometimes sneeze when you add pepper to their meal because they are more sensitive than others to pepper. Others, however, will have to be faced with the fullness of the spice before they can get bothered.
People sneeze because contained in pepper is the alkaloid referred to as piperine that is considered to irritate the nose’s tiny hairs when it is inhaled. It may not be very dangerous but it could be quite annoying. This same compound could serve to increase you getting bleeding risk and getting involved in bleeding disorders when you eat it in excess. Generally, pepper is classified as a safe ingredient to eat for everyone according to heat preferences and personal taste.
Related Questions
Where does cayenne pepper come from?
This is quite different from black and white pepper. We don’t make cayenne pepper from peppercorns. It is rather made from pepper plants similar to jalapeno peppers or bell peppers although it is much hotter. They may be found fresh as small red hot chili peppers though they are most popularly used either as flakes or its powdered form. It helps to add heat into almost all dishes when you use moderately because it is very powerful that it will leave you swearing off pepper for life and also sweating.
Why is black pepper so common?
Typically, pepper and salt go together in a meal and at a point, it will be unnatural when you add one in the absence of the other. Salt helps to enhance the ability to get unique flavors from the food while pepper help to add spice and specific heat to our meals. A professional chef will likely make use of black pepper with a bit of discretion more than a home chef but it is not more exciting than tradition and habit. You can cut out your pepper, swap it for another pepper variety or make a whole different spice.
Why is white pepper so expensive?
This is because you will use more steps to prepare white pepper for consumption and that is why it is a bit more expensive as compared to black pepper.
