This post will provide information on "What are the health benefits of uziza (Piper guineense)?" as well as provide answers to questions like: What is Uziza English? Is Uziza seed black peppercorn? What is the English name of Piper Guineense? What is the Igbo name for black pepper? What is the health benefit of Uziza leaf?What is Uziza leaf called in English? Is Uziza leaf good in pregnancy? What is the nutritional value of Uziza Leaf? What is Piper Guineense used for?
Uziza (Piper guineense) is a spice plant from the family, piperaceae and from the genus piper. It is a West African spice plant and is commonly called “Black pepper”. Uziza (Piper guineense) is a climbing perennial plant of the family Piperaceae. It is used in the preparation of pepper soup in the Southern part of Nigeria. In the Eastern parts, the fruits are used to prepare soups for mothers from the first day of delivery to prevent post partum contraction. It is also widely used in insect pest control. In traditional herbal medicine, the seeds of P. guineense are put into a variety of uses; for instance, in some parts of Nigeria, the seeds are consumed by women after child birth, to enhance uterine contraction for the expulsion of placenta and other remains from the womb as an adjuvant in the treatment of rheumatic pains and as an antiasthmatics and also for the control of weight. The seed and leaf extracts are capable of exhibiting a depolarizing neuromuscular activity in a concentration related manners. The antiparasitic, antimicrobial and antifungal activities of the leaf and seeds of P. guineense are not left out.
- Protein
- Dietary fiber
- Alkaloids
- Steroids
- Glycosides
- Flavonoids
- Essential oils
- Tannins
- Saponins
- Peptide
- Phenols
- Relieves cough
- Prevents constipation due to the presence of fibre and roughages
- Uziza contains a substance called flavonoid; a powerful anti-oxidant which can help neutralize free radicals in the body thereby preventing cancerous cells
- Uziza leaves come with powerful antibacterial minerals which are useful in fighting diarrhea-causing micro-organisms in the intestine
- Uziza is used in many local herbal medicines to treat infertility
- Being a good source of roughages, Uziza can help remedy stomachaches and bring about relieve from menstrual cramps
- Uziza pepper is use in the treatment of rheumatism, prevention of diabetes, prevention of hypertension, and improvement of appetite
- Uziza leaves can also be used to keep mosquitos away from home due to the scent it produces which is unfriendly to mosquitos
There has been no medical reports as to whether the consumption of uziza is dangerous to human health. However, pregnant women are advised to reduce the consumption of pepper within their first trimesters.