By Bisola Adeyemo
Negro pepper with the botanical name “Xylopia aethiopica” is in the family Annonaceae, is one of the important plants for spices and other health components found in the wet tropical forest to the savannah vegetation zone in most of Africa.
Negro pepper which is also known as selim Sénégal pepper, kimba pepper, Ethiopian pepper, Kanipfeffer, African pepper, kieng, Selimskörner, moor pepper, kani pepper, in different part of the world. but in Nigeria, negro pepper is commonly called Kimba in Hausa, Uda in Igbo and Erunje or Erinje in Yoruba
Ida, fondly called in Nigeria is an aromatic spice commonly used in flavouring foods in certain parts of the world, including Nigeria.
Negro pepper as a spice is due to its high constituents of essential phytochemical compounds and beneficial nutritional value.
NatureNews Africa discovered that all parts of negro pepper are useful, medicinal, apart from its culinary benefits,
Negro pepper can be used as a preservative.
According to an article from public health.com, the crushed seeds of Negro pepper is very effective in the treatment of itches, boil and skin eruption when applied directly on the skin.
Uda is used in the treatment of a number of diseases including cough, malaria, constipation, uterine fibroid, and amenorrhea. It is also used locally as carminative, stimulant and adjunct to other remedies for the treatment of skin infection.
According to Sources, it’s unique nutritional value to the human body includes Copper, zinc, protein, camphene, manganese, Alkaloids, Diter penic, Limonene, Folic acid, Flavanoid, Vitamins: A, B1, B2, C and E which help the body to fight a lot of diseases.
Negro pepper also contains flavonoids, alkaloids, cineol, phytosterols, tannins, saponins, glycosides, carbohydrates, β-pinene, paradol, α-terpineol, terpinene-4-ol, terpenes, cryptone, verbenone, β-phellandrene, spathulenol, bisabolene, trans-pinocarveol, limonene, linalool, α-farnesene, β-caryophyllene and myrtenol.
Some other benefits negro pepper
Negro pepper is good for fighting malaria due to its anti-malaria property.
For the nursing mothers, the consumption of negro pepper boosts their production of milk after childbirth and appetite.
Consumption of Negro pepper by women after delivery helps to facilitate the healing of wounds in the womb and recovery process.
The antioxidants properties in Negro pepper helps to prevent and destroy the growth of cancer cells.
Consumption of Negro pepper is good for the treatment of infectious ailments such as cold, cough and flu. Regular consumption of Negro pepper is healthy for treating gastric ulcer.
Negro pepper contains essential oils which can be used for producing cosmetics such as perfumes, foaming liquid, soaps, repellents and creams.
Negro pepper has anti-inflammatory properties and so can be used in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism and other inflammatory conditions.
