Black pepper

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By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Updated 5 November 2026

Black pepper is the dried fruit of the Piper nigrum vine, used whole as peppercorns or ground as the most common spice on the table. Its sharp bite comes from piperine. Most people eat a few shakes a day, far less than a teaspoon, so pepper adds flavour rather than real nutrition. The one well documented effect is practical: piperine helps the body absorb curcumin from turmeric.

Black pepper nutrition per 100 g and per teaspoon

Nährstoff	Per 100 g (ground)	Per teaspoon, ground (2.3 g)
Energie	251 kcal	6 kcal
Eiweiß	10.4 g	0.2 g
Fat	3.3 g	0.1 g
Carbohydrate	64.0 g	1.5 g
of which fibre	25.3 g	0.6 g
of which sugars	0.6 g	0.01 g
Kalium	1330 mg	31 mg
Kalzium	443 mg	10 mg
Magnesium	171 mg	3.9 mg
Eisen	9.7 mg	0.2 mg
Manganese	12.8 mg	0.29 mg
Vitamin K	164 µg	3.8 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, “Spices, pepper, black” (FDC 170931), checked 5 November 2026. Portions from the same record: 1 teaspoon ground = 2.3 g, 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns = 2.9 g, 1 tablespoon ground = 6.9 g, and a “dash” = 0.1 g. Values rounded.

The table looks impressive per 100 g, but nobody eats pepper by the 100 g. A dash from a shaker weighs about a tenth of a gram, and even a well seasoned plate rarely gets more than half a teaspoon. At that level pepper gives you a few kilocalories and traces of minerals. The one nutrient that adds up a little is manganese: a full teaspoon has about 0.29 mg, against an adequate intake of 1.8 mg a day for women and 2.3 mg for men (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements). NIH lists black pepper among the spices that contribute manganese to the diet.

Glycemic index

Black pepper is not listed in the international GI tables (Atkinson 2008), and it does not need to be: a teaspoon carries about 1.5 g of carbohydrate, more than a third of it fibre, so it has no meaningful effect on blood sugar.

Health benefits: what the evidence says

• Better absorption of turmeric. Curcumin, the main active compound in Kurkuma, is poorly absorbed on its own. In a small study in human volunteers, adding 20 mg of piperine to 2 g of curcumin increased curcumin’s bioavailability by about 2000% compared with curcumin alone (Shoba et al., 1998). NCCIH (NIH) also notes that combining curcumin with piperine is one way to improve its bioavailability. That study used an isolated piperine dose, not a pinch of kitchen pepper, so the size of the effect in a home-cooked curry is less certain. Still, the habit of cooking turmeric with pepper and some fat has a reasonable basis.
• A small source of manganese. As shown above, regular use of pepper adds a modest amount of manganese.
• Flavour that lets you cook with less salt. This is a kitchen benefit rather than a medical one: pepper, Knoblauch, lemon and herbs give food a lively taste, which makes it easier to use less salt.
• What is not proven. Online claims that black pepper “burns fat”, “detoxes” the body or treats disease are not supported by the sources reviewed for this entry. Treat them with caution, especially when they are used to sell piperine capsules.

How to eat it

• Grind it fresh. Whole peppercorns keep their aroma far longer than ready-ground pepper. A simple mill is the best upgrade for this spice.
• With turmeric. Add a few turns of pepper whenever you use turmeric: in lentil dal, curries, roasted cauliflower or golden milk. Read more in how to take turmeric for best absorption.
• Whole in long cooking. Drop whole peppercorns into stocks, bean soups, pickles, marinades and braised meat; they release flavour slowly and are easy to fish out.
• Ground at the end. For eggs, Avocado toast, Tomate salads, Greek yogurt dips and grilled vegetables, grind pepper over the finished dish, where its aroma is strongest.
• Pepper as a crust. Coarsely crushed peppercorns pressed onto fish or meat before cooking give a crisp, spicy crust.
• Black, white and green. All three come from the same plant. Black pepper is the dried whole fruit, white pepper is the seed with the outer layer removed and is milder, and green pepper is the unripe fruit, usually sold in brine or freeze-dried.
• Storage. Keep peppercorns and ground pepper in a closed jar, away from heat, light and steam from the stove.

Who should be careful

• Spices and food safety. Dried spices can carry bacteria. The US FDA found Salmonella in about 6.6% of imported spice shipments in 2007-2009, while spices sampled later at retail (black pepper among them) showed significantly lower levels. FDA does not advise people to change how they use spices; normal kitchen hygiene and buying from reliable brands are enough.
• Piperine supplements. Capsules with piperine, often combined with curcumin, deliver amounts you would never get from food. If you take medicines or have a liver condition, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using such products.
• Sensitive stomach or mouth. Pepper is pungent. If it irritates your mouth or stomach, use less or switch to milder white pepper.
• Young children. Start with small amounts; the heat can surprise them, and whole peppercorns are not suitable for toddlers.

Traditional view (Ayurveda)

In Usha and Vasant Lad’s food guidelines black pepper is listed as good for Vata and Kapha and suitable in moderation for Pitta. This is a traditional view, not a clinical finding.

Related entries and articles

• Kurkuma – the classic partner for black pepper
• Ingwer Und cumin – warming spices that pair well with pepper
• Cardamom Und cloves
• Linsen – turmeric and pepper in a weeknight dal
• How to take turmeric for best absorption
• Which foods reduce inflammation naturally?

FAQ

Does black pepper really help you absorb turmeric?

Yes, the piperine in black pepper improves the absorption of curcumin, the main compound in turmeric. In one human study, 20 mg of piperine raised curcumin’s bioavailability by about 2000%. Kitchen amounts of pepper contain less piperine, but cooking turmeric with pepper and a little fat is a sensible habit.

Is black pepper good for you?

In normal kitchen amounts black pepper is a safe way to add flavour. Because you eat so little, its vitamins and minerals matter only slightly, with manganese as the main exception. Claims that it burns fat or detoxes the body are not supported by reliable evidence.

What is the difference between black and white pepper?

Both come from the same plant. Black pepper is the whole dried fruit with its dark outer layer, while white pepper is the inner seed with that layer removed. White pepper is milder and is often used in light sauces and mashed potatoes, where dark specks are not wanted.

Sources

1. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Spices, pepper, black (FDC 170931). fdc.nal.usda.gov
2. Shoba G, Joy D, Joseph T, Majeed M, Rajendran R, Srinivas PS. Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Medica. 1998;64(4):353-356. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH): Turmeric, updated April 2025. nccih.nih.gov
4. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Manganese, Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
5. US Food and Drug Administration: Questions and Answers on Improving the Safety of Spices. fda.gov
6. Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(12):2281-2283. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
7. Lad U, Lad V. Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types, from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, 2nd ed. The Ayurvedic Institute. ayurveda.com

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.