What's this
What is pink pepper?
Pink pepper or false pepper is a slightly spicy spice with a characteristic aroma of South American origin, widely used in kitchens around the world - including Italian ones.
More precisely, they are fruits (drupes) produced from a plant belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, Genus Schinus and soft species. The latter is an evergreen tree native to Bolivia, Chile and Peru - today it is mostly cultivated in Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay - which also adapts quite well to the climatic zone in our Bel Paese.
From a nutritional point of view, pink pepper does not seem to have any noteworthy properties. This does not depend on the chemical composition of the food, which brings vitamins and minerals in relatively interesting quantities, but rather from the use that can be made of them in the kitchen. The false pepper, like many other spices, is in fact used in rather marginal and scarcely incisive quantities on the overall nutritional balance.
Pink pepper, on the other hand, seems to exert some positive and negative effects on health independent of the composition in energy macronutrients, minerals and vitamins. In summary, the phytotherapic characteristics of the false pepper are: antiseptic, diuretic, mood improvement, analgesic for dental problems, menstrual and rheumatic. The most common adverse effects, on the other hand, include irritation and pain in the gastric and intestinal mucosa, and related symptoms. Another use of pink pepper is as a natural insecticide. We also remember that this is not a totally harmless product.
In the kitchen, pink pepper is associated with any category of ingredients, vegetable or animal, but with the necessary differences depending on the specific case. Find space in both local and international cuisine.
Nutritional Properties
Nutritional properties of pink pepper
As anticipated in the introduction, the properties and above all the nutritional impact of pink pepper used as food are marginal. The dried pepper drupes contain as much as 22% fat, but the amount used in the recipes, even the richest in false pepper, is always small.
The fat fraction of pink pepper is quite good and should have a positive effect on human metabolism. There is no lack of monounsaturated fatty acids - omega 9 oleic acid - and polyunsaturated type - omega 6 linoleic acid. Both, although in different ways, have a positive role in maintaining overall health. Linoleic acid is essential, therefore it must necessarily be introduced with the diet. It has an irreplaceable role and, together with oleic acid, helps to prevent many replacement diseases such as, for example, various types of dyslipidemia.
Pink pepper also contains other nutritional factors, of which the most interesting could be the polyphenols with antioxidant action. Also involved in maintaining the overall health status, they have a marked antioxidant and protective function of metabolism.
Safety
Is pink pepper safe?
The fruit and leaves of Schinus molle, despite being apparently harmless to humans, may prove to be potentially poisonous to poultry, pigs and probably also to calves.
As some cases of vomiting and diarrhea have occurred in young children after taking pink pepper, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) currently does not recognize the safety status (GRAS) of this food.
It is not always advisable to take it, in significant quantities, in the event of:
- Specific allergy
- Serious gastro intestinal disorders
- Hepatic failure
- Kidney failure
- Pharmacological therapies with which it could interact negatively
- Pregnancy
- Feeding time.
Diet
Pink pepper in the diet
For the content of unsaturated fatty acids of good quality and beneficial for the metabolism, pink pepper could be recommended in the diet of some metabolic pathologies such as dyslipidemia and arterial hypertension. It is however necessary to remember that, due to the low size of the portions, it is not certain that its intake can actually improve the state of health.
Being a spice, pink pepper is contraindicated, especially in considerable doses, in the diet against:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Gastritis
- Peptic ulcer - gastric and duodenal
- Irritable colon
- Diarrhea, of any kind and with any cause
- Hemorrhoids
- Anal fissures.
Phytotherapy
Phytotherapeutic characteristics of pink pepper
The phytotherapeutic characteristics linked to the composition of particular molecules - above all lipophilic - with a certain impact on the organism seem more important. In particular, the essential oil constituents are involved.
In traditional medicine, due to its antimicrobial properties, pink pepper is mainly used in the topical treatment of wounds and skin infections.
It has also found application as an antidepressant, but with poor results on humans. Recent studies conducted on mice instead report a possible measurable effect on mood.
The false pepper has good diuretic potential; moreover, it seems to possess a good anesthetic characteristic for toothache, rheumatism and menstrual disorders.
Pink pepper also has an excellent insecticidal function, but it is not clear whether this property can be used - as well as in agriculture - for a vermifuge on humans.
Oil
Pink pepper oil
Recently the possibility of using pink pepper to extract oil was evaluated.
The yield of the false pepper is similar to that of Glycine max (or soy, from 15 to 25%) and of Gossypium hirsutum (or cotton, from 18 to 26%).
The value of iodine, an index of the degree of unsaturation - measurement of double bonds - is 17.74 I2 / 100 g. The higher the value of iodine, the less stable, more vulnerable to oxidation and to the production of free radicals is the oil in question. That of pink pepper is similar to the oil of Elaeis guineensis - dendè palm, with iodine value of 13 or 17 I2 / 100 g. It is therefore different from coconut oil - Cocos nucifera - and palm and palm kernel, much more saturated.
Unlike soybean oil, whose oxidative stability is low due to the high iodine value - 130 I2 / 100 g of oil - pink pepper oil is also suitable for cooking and preferable from the point of view diet for the best metabolic impact. False pepper oil is, due to its drying capacity, to be considered a good basis for the production of paints and varnishes.
The saponification value of S. lifestyle seed oil is 129.88 mg KOH / g oil. Oils with a high saponification value are used as an ingredient in soap and in the production of shaving foam or cosmetics.
Pink pepper seed oil has an unusually high acid value, which could be due to the presence of polyphenols deriving from seed shells.
The total yield of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids is 15.56, 16.75 and 31.02%. 36.59% of fatty acids, according to one of the studies carried out on the subject, is quantifiable but not well identified. The most present saturation is palmitic (8.31%), followed by stearic acid (2.71%). The high viscosity and stability of stearic acid in pink pepper oil make it a good industrial lubricant; it can also be used as an ingredient in candles, plastics and cosmetics. Note : Palmitic acid has a potentially hypercholesterolemic effect. Pink pepper oil has 15% monounsaturated acids, among which oleic acid stands out, interesting for its beneficial effect on the metabolism.
Linoleic acid, an essential precursor of the biologically active omega 6 - with beneficial effect on the metabolism - constitutes 26.99% of the oil. Pink pepper oil has a ratio of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids of 2, which indicates a prevalence of unsaturated fats and confirms its dietary properties
The chemical characterization of the essential oil of pink pepper and the biological activity of the individual components is, on the whole, quite interesting. At the chemical analysis of the volatile oils - also contained in the leaves - nineteen different substances emerge, including above all ciclogermacrene (20.5%), β-caryophyllene (19.7%) and spatulenol (19.2%). These are responsible for the aromatic properties of pink pepper, unique in their kind and extremely characteristic.
Kitchen
Pink pepper in the kitchen
Pink pepper, also known as false pepper, belongs to a species and a botanical genus completely different from those of traditional pepper ( Piper nigrum ). Nevertheless it is often sold as such, even in mixtures containing black pepper, white pepper and green pepper.
Originally from the South American continent, the fake pepper finds its place in a wide range of local culinary preparations. However, it is also widely used in world gastronomy; the Italian one is obviously no exception.
The recipes of the Bel Paese are famous for the combinations of pink pepper and peach products - salmon, fresh or smoked, prawns and shrimp, etc. - certain meats - beef, such as fillet, but also white ones like avian and rabbit - and some fresh cheeses - spreadable, such as crescenza, mascarpone, robiola etc. Some rather famous recipes are: citrus-marinated salmon and pink pepper, veal fillet with pink pepper, prawns with pink pepper and dill, croutons with goat's cheese and chopped pink pepper, baked rabbit with pink pepper and tarragon, cordon bleau with chicken robiola and pink pepper etc.
The pink pepper is used both fresh and dry. It resists brightly to heat and after cooking does not lose or change its organoleptic and taste characteristics. However, to fully enjoy its aroma and flavor, it is advisable to expose it only to sources of heat - quick cooking in a pan.
Pink pepper extract is commonly used as an aroma in beverages and in commercial syrups.
Botany
Botanical notes on pink pepper
There are over 30 species of South American Schinus (Family Anacardiaceae). Depending on the region, these plants are also known as pimentero, molle, pimienta del diablo, terebinta, aguaribay, molle, fake pimentero, rose bays and pepper tree. From a taxonomic point of view, there are two closely related American plants: S. molle and Schinus areira or var . Areira del S. molle .
The distribution of S. molle includes Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and the northeastern region of Argentina, while the cultivation of S. areira has spread more widely in the main subtropical regions of the globe. Later we will describe the morphology of the S. molle tree.
The pink pepper plant has linearly lanceolate, crescent-shaped leaves with irregularly serrated edges, alternating and opposite, 20-25 mm long and 3-8.5 mm wide. The number varies from 5 to 51.
The tree is large, 8-10 m tall, with perennial foliage that is renewed for a third of the density per year. The upper part consists of flexible hanging branches, easily broken by the wind; the bark is light brown and has a rough surface.
The flowers are yellowish and arranged in large terminal axillary panicles. The fruit is a greenish drupe which, when ripe, becomes pink or light brown, depending on the area in which it grows. The drupe has a diameter of 4-6 mm with a globular ectocarp, a pulpy and resinous mesocarp, and a bone endocarp, with compressed seeds and flat cotyledons.
The essential oil is contained in flowers, fruits and leaves; it has a characteristic aromatic and potentially irritating odor. At certain times of the year, mainly during pre-flowering, the stem and branches produce a brownish resin with high adhesive properties.
Bibliography
- Physicochemical characterization of hexanic seed oil extract from the pepper tree (Schinus molle) of South African origin - Erlwanger, Mazuru B. Gundidza, Michael L. Magwa and Perkin Muredzi - African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12 (8), pp. 854-859, 20 February, 2013
- Antidepressant-like effect of the extract from leaves of Schinus molle L. in mice: Evidence of involvement of the monoaminergic system - Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, Elsevier (published 2007-03-30), 31 (2): 421–428 - Machadoa, Daniel G .; Kastera, Manuella P .; Binfaréa, Ricardo W .; Diasc, Munique; Santosb, Adair RS; Pizzolattic, Moacir G .; Brighentec, Inês MC; Rodrigues, Ana Lúcia S. (2007)
- Antidepressant-like effect of rutin isolated from the ethanolic extract from Schinus molle L. in mice: Evidence for the involvement of the serotonergic and noradrenergic system - Daniele G. Machado, Luis EB Bettio, Mauricio P. Cunha, Adair RS Santos, Moacir G . Pizzolatti, Inês MC Brighente, and Ana Lúcia S. Rodrigues (2008) - Eur. J 'Pharmacol. 587 163-168.
