Is pepper bad for you or is it a welcome addition to any meal?

Many people believe pepper, like salt, is bad for you. It's understandable to lump them together because they invariably stand side by side.

However, the truth is that pepper is almost the complete opposite of salt - it's actually very good for you. This is because pepper contains a substance called piperine which, amongst other things, helps our bodies absorb the nutrients derived from the food we eat. So peppering your salad not only adds flavour but it also enables your body to obtain more of its vitamins and minerals

Unfortunately, if you don't like black pepper then you're out of luck because there s very little piperine is white pepper. And in case you were wondering, peppers and chilies don't contain it either.

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