Dorothy FarrarCubeb pepper
Cubeb pepper is related to the well-known black pepper. The spice native to Indonesia has been named Medicinal Plant of the Year 2016. The medically relevant parts, the cubebs, are used, among other things, as a cough reliever and to increase sex drive.
General overview
The cubeb pepper, also called tail pepper or stalk pepper, belongs to the pepper genus and belongs to the pepper family. Pepper is a climbing plant. Cubeb pepper has white flowers and pointed leaves. It has a sweet, lemon-like, slightly bitter, pungent taste. The fruits are slightly larger than grains of the well-known related black pepper. The fruits, the so-called cubebs, are the immature seeds of the pepper species. Pepper in general is the most used spice worldwide, while cubeb pepper is not well known.
occurrence and cultivation
Cubeb pepper is native to the Indonesian island of Java. It is a tropical plant and prefers a consistently warm climate and high humidity. He favors a rainfall of 2500 millimeters which should be evenly distributed throughout the year. In addition to Java, cubeb pepper is now cultivated on other Indonesian islands, in Malaysia, in India and in Sri Lanka. Cultivation is rather labor intensive. Propagation is by cuttings. Usually harvested twice a year. In many growing areas, the harvest is still done by hand. The yield per plant is around 2-3 kilograms of pepper.
The plant takes about five months from flowering to maturity. The grains are harvested green and dried in the sun. Originally, pepper is a plant from the jungle, so it prefers shady places. Cubeb pepper is also cultivated in areas of Asia and North Africa for shade extraction on coffee plantations. The shrub grows up to ten meters high. Characteristic are its hairless, alternate leaves and a stalk-like extension.
The fruits are spherical and slightly larger than black peppercorns. The cubeb pepper is relatively unknown in the west and probably came to European regions via Arab traders. Since the Portuguese king banned the sale of this species in the 19th century to promote the black pepper trade, it initially disappeared from the scene. Cubeb pepper has long been recognized as a spice and medicinal plant in Asia and North Africa.
Application and effect
Cubeb pepper was used as a remedy early on by Arab physicians. The pepper variety is said to have an astringent, expectorant , performance-enhancing and aphrodisiac effect. Cubeb pepper is said to make heavy foods easier to digest. It stimulates the appetite by promoting the production of saliva and gastric juices . This signals a feeling of hunger to the body and increases the desire to eat.
In Indian folk medicine, the grains of the plant are used to reduce anxiety and stress. In addition, cubeb pepper is said to contribute to an increase in physical and mental performance. The dried fruits have been used since ancient times to treat inflammatory bacterial urinary tract infections. The fruits of the plant, the cubebs, are also used in diseases such as hemorrhoids and gonorrhea. The fruits of the plant can have a laxative effect at high doses. Depending on the physical condition, even small amounts can trigger dizziness , which is why the cubebs are also called vertigo grains.
What does cubeb pepper help against?
importance to health
Cubeb pepper was named Medicinal Plant of the Year 2016. The learned Hildegard von Bingen attributed a positive effect on the human organism to it. In addition to a cheerful mind, the fruits of the pepper should sharpen the mind and enable pure knowledge. In China, cubebs have long been part of traditional medicine. Cubeb pepper has been used as a medicinal herb since ancient times. It can help with stomach problems because it has a flatulent effect. In this way, an unpleasant feeling of fullness can be reduced and irregularities in the gastrointestinal activity can be compensated for.
However, if overdosed, the pepper has the opposite effect and can lead to stomach pains . The fruits should continue to have an expectorant effect. Another medical use is the treatment of chronic bronchitis. The pepper acts as a natural expectorant. A positive effect is ascribed to cubeb pepper, particularly in the case of inflammation of the urinary tract.
The plant can help with gonorrhea, inflammation of the prostate, urethral and bladder catarrh and kidney problems. The medicinal plant can also bring relief from headaches. Pepper is said to promote the production of endorphins and thus have a positive effect on general well-being. Sexual disorders, such as decreased libido in women, may be alleviated by cubeb because of its aphrodisiac properties. Cubeb pepper deservedly received the title of medicinal plant of the year in 2016. It has been shown to provide relief from breathing difficulties, headaches and urinary tract disorders.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.