Black pepper is produced from the still-green, unripe drupe of the pepper plant. Once dry, the spice is called black peppercorn. On some estates, the berries are separated from the stem by hand and then sun-dried without boiling.

When you think of pepper, you likely envision the black variety. In reality, black peppercorns are green peppercorns that have been cooked and dried out. Black pepper is most commonly used as a seasoning or crust that adds a robust spice to some of our favorite foods: meats, eggs, salads, fries, soups and more.

In both instances, the spice is a highlight, not a default setting, and Lee suggests nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, allspice, even cloves – “a happy thought”, he says. There are so many more spices out there, none of which, Laperruque notes, are all-purpose.

Whether you’re looking for a black pepper substitute, white pepper substitute, or red pepper substitute, we’ve got just the ticket. For 1/2 teapsoon, substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. For 1/2 teaspoon, substitute 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Piperine

White pepper is milder in flavor than black pepper. You can certainly substitute black pepper for white pepper, knowing that the black specks will show. You may want to start with less black pepper than the white pepper called for and adjust the flavor as you go.

White pepper, like black pepper, is made from the berries of the pepper plant, also known as the Piper nigrum. As a result, white pepper tends to be more mild than black pepper.

Tellicherry (origin: India) Tellicherry peppercorns are like San Marzano tomatoes: they need to come from Tellicherry, a city on the Malabar coast of Kerala in India. They’re considered some of the finest peppercorns in the world, and one of the few “names” in pepper that people are familiar with.

Black pepper (Piper Nigrum L.) is an important healthy food owing to its antioxidant, antimicrobial potential and gastro-protective modules. Black pepper, with piperine as an active ingredient, holds rich phytochemistry that also includes volatile oil, oleoresins, and alkaloids.

Black pepper might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking black pepper along with some medications that are broken down by the liver might increase the chance of side effects from some medications.

Known as the “King of Spices,” black pepper has been valued for its flavor and antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory benefits. Studies have shown that the chemical compounds of black pepper, particularly piperine, may be effective in the early acute inflammatory process.