Black pepper is capable of a lot more than just spicing up your meals. This antibacterial spice, which is a staple in every household, has health benefits that are treasured by ancient and modern people alike. It contains potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin K and vitamin C. Various forms of pepper have long been used to satisfy our culinary experience but as it turns out, there is a lot more to pepper than meets the eye.
INSECTICIDE
To get rid of garden gnats, mix 1 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper with 2 tablespoons each of dish detergent and vegetable oil. Add the mixture to a gallon water, and shake. Transfer to a spray bottle, and douse infested plants. Repeat after rain.
ORAL HEALTH
Did you know that table salt and black pepper gargle can combat cavities, freshen breath and help to relieve oral pain? Mix a half teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper in warm water then gargle. Do you have a sore throat? Mix a dash of cayenne, a half teaspoon of salt and a mashed garlic clove in warm water then gargle for natural antiseptic relief.
KEEPS COLOURS BRIGHT
That new cherry-red shirt you just purchased is fantastic, but just think how faded the color will look after the shirt has been washed a few times. Add a teaspoon of pepper to the wash load. Pepper keeps bright colours bright and prevents them from running too.
KEEP ANTS OUT OF KITCHEN
Two or three of your annual summer visitors have invaded your kitchen. Those ants are looking for sugar. Give them some pepper instead. Cayenne pepper sprinkled in spots where the ants are looking, such as along the backs of your countertops or on your baseboards, will tell them that no sugar is ahead.
SQUIRREL REPELLENT
Mix cayenne pepper with bird food. The birds don’t mind the taste, and the Vitamin C in pepper actually improves their foliage. Squirrels, on the other hand, hate pepper and will avoid your feeder.
PREVENT PLANTS FROM BUGS
Spring is here and it’s time to plant a garden filled with flowers and fresh produce. Unfortunately, those tasty vegetables attract bugs and animals to your garden. You don’t have to put out pesticides or poison to get them to leave. Simply sprinkle a mixture of black pepper and flour around your plants to get them to go.
QUIT SMOKING
A study showed that when smokers inhaled the aroma of black pepper oil, they experienced a diminished craving for cigarettes. Participants also said that they felt a slight burning sensation in the throat, which was similar to the sensation they liked when smoking. Smokers who are trying to quit the habit should sniff a drop of black pepper oil on a cotton ball when longing for a cigarette.
RELIEVE NASAL CONGESTION
Black pepper is a natural decongestant. There are chemicals in black pepper that irritate nasal membranes, producing thinner mucus so that the sinus can be cleared out. Add five drops of black pepper oil and a couple drops of eucalyptus oil to boiling water. Smell this aromatic mixture to clear out sinuses and relieve your nasal passages.
COUGH REMEDY
Cayenne can help loosen chest phlegm and sooth throat irritation. Combine ¼ teaspoon each of cayenne pepper and fresh ground ginger with 1 tablespoon each of honey and apple cider vinegar. Take one teaspoon at a time as needed.
ADDITIONAL USES:
- Got a leaky radiator? Pour black pepper into your radiator to temporarily seal holes.
- To relieve sore throats, mix 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper with 2 tablespoons of honey. Take a teaspoon of the mixture at a time.
- A simple mixture of pepper and honey or pepper and water also helps to relieve ailments such as constipation and indigestion by helping to flush toxins from your body.
- Pepper can also be good for your skin if you suffer with conditions such as eczema or rashes. Mix pepper with ghee, a form of clarified butter. Apply it to the affected spot to get relief.
- Are paper cuts a casualty of your office job? Instead of bleeding all over your papers, sprinkle a bit of cayenne on the cut. It will stop the bleeding, though it might sting a little. Do not use cayenne on deeper cuts.
- To keep rats from gnawing on your wires and cables, coat them with black pepper oil. You can also sprinkle ground pepper in areas of your home to drive the rats away.