Ayurveda Health benefits of long pepper are innumerable. Pippali is mainly recommended for weight loss in obesity, diabetes, and PCOS or PCOD. When this spice is used with milk it helps in erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, and motility. Pippali is considered a rejuvenating and Vajikarana Food.
Related article 5 vajikarana milk Recipes
Table of content
Pippali or Long pepper in ayurveda
Ayurveda Health Benefits of Long Pepper or Pippali
Long Pepper or pippali for Men Health
Long Pepper or pippali for Weight Loss
Long Pepper or pippali for PCOS or PCOD
How to use Long Pepper or Pippali ?
Pippali or Long pepper in Ayurveda
Long pepper is known as pippali in Ayurveda. This spice was reached in Greece in 5th century BC. This is hotter than black pepper and is mainly used in ayurvedic medicinal preparations.
In India, this spice has a different names in different languages
In Hindi they call ‘Pipal’, the Bengali name for this fruit is ‘pipul’, In Marathi ‘pipali’, gujarati ‘pipal’, Punjabi ‘magham’, in tamil it is ‘thipili’, telagu name is ‘pipul’, in kannada ‘hippali’.
Botanical description
This spice has the botanical name Piper Longum. It is a flowering vine that belongs to Piperaceae family. It is closely related to black pepper This spice is extensively used in all global cuisines.
Ayurveda Health Benefits of Long Pepper or Pippali
Texts of ayurveda explain health benefits and uses of pippali as follows
According to the principles of Ayurveda this spice is pungent to taste (katu rasa), but it tastes sweet after digestion (madhura vipaka). It is light to digest and does not increase body heat (anushna). It improves the moistness of tissues, enhances digestion, and balances Vata dosha and kapha dosha. It is eulogized as a rejuvenator (rasayani) and an aphrodisiac (vrushya). It has very sharp penetrating properties (teekshna) and its bio ingredients reach deep tissues very quickly.
Texts of Ayurveda praise this spice with various names as follows.
Magadhi – grown in Magadha
Vaidehi – available in Videha
Krushna – Black in colour
Kana – It has grains
Chapala – very sharp medicinal qualities
Tikshna tandula– One which has the shape of rice but is hot in taste and potency
OOshna– hot in taste
Upakulya– need lot of soil moisture to grow.
Long Pepper or pippali for Men Health
This spice is praised as vrushya (aphrodisiac). Hence Ayurveda acharyas recommend this in the treatment of klaibya or erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and low sperm count and motility. Vrushya pippali is the preparation that is specially recommended for men to improve their sexual function.
Long pepper with Milk
This combination is used as Vajikarana Food. Milk processed with this spice is the best ayurvedic remedy for erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation and is used in Vajikarana Therapy. It is also the best ayurvedic medicine for low sperm count. Milk nullifies the hot taste of this pepper and also prevents its fiery action on stomach layers.
Long Pepper or pipli for Weight Loss:
Due to its sharp piercing properties, this spice accelerates blood circulation and boosts metabolism. Since pippali normalizes Kapha , medha or body fat which is the dependent dhatu of kapha , also gets normalized in this process. Hence long pepper helps in weight loss. This can be used along with other ayurvedic weight loss herbs like cinnamon, cumin seeds, amla, black cardamom or badi ilaichi etc.
Long pepper with honey for weight loss
This combination can be used by persons who are aiming for weight loss. It is the best weight-loss herb and honey is the best weight-loss remedy.
Long pepper or pippali for Diabetes:
In recent times Diabetes has become a giant health issue in India. A large chunk of the Indian population is trying to cope with this emerging health condition. Various researches show that Pippali helps to reduce blood sugar levels. Ayurveda acharyas specify that this spice stimulates digestive organs to secrete more digestive juices. The pancreas which secretes insulin is not an exception to this. Hence diabetics can use this spice to keep their blood sugar levels low. Since long pepper also has aphrodisiac properties, this spice helps in erectile dysfunction due to diabetes.
Long Pepper or pippali for PCOS or PCOD:
The main symptoms of PCOS or PCOD are weight gain and fluctuating blood glucose levels. This pepper helps in both conditions. Apart from this Ayurveda acharyas mention that this spice contracts muscles of the uterus and stimulates the menstrual cycle to occur. All the above-mentioned actions of pippali help in PCOS or PCOD.
Pippali for Indigestion:
Due to its sharp piercing guna or property, this spice stimulates the digestive system and helps in the digestion of food. It is one of the ingredients of TRIKATU. ( A powder combination of dry ginger, black pepper and Long pepper). Trikatu is recommended for indigestion. This spice is also used in hingwastak churna and ayurvedic preparation for indigestion.
Other Health Benefits of Long Pepper :
Indian long pepper is used to improve appetite and digestion, and to treat stomachache, heartburn, indigestion, intestinal gas, diarrhea, and cholera. It is also used for lung health conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and cough. This can also be used in the treatment of headache, toothache, epilepsy, fever, stroke, sleep disturbances (insomnia), leprosy, fatigue, enlargement of spleen, muscle pain, nasal block, paralysis, psoriasis, intestinal worms, snakebites, tetanus, thirst, tuberculosis, and tumors.
Since this pepper stimulates uterine contractions Indian women use long pepper during childbirth and during the 3-6 weeks after childbirth, till the uterus returns to normal size. Indian long pepper is also used to stimulate menstrual flow and to address menstrual cramps, female infertility, PCOS, PCOD, and female low libido.
How to use Long Pepper or Pippali ?
This spice can be used in form of powder.
Dosage
This herb has to be used with caution and should be taken after consulting a qualified ayurvedic physician. The maximum quantity which can be used is 1 gram per day. But not more than that.
Caution:
- Persons with acidity, duodenal ulcers, stomach ulcers, and colitis should never use this.
- Pregnant women should not use they reach 34 weeks
- Always use this spice after the intake of food or with food
- The dose should not exceed 1 gm per day (divided into 3 doses that is 1/3 gms per time thrice daily).
- Always consult a qualified ayurvedic physician before using this herb
(Whats App Dr.Savitha Suri @+ 91 6360108663/ to know more about ayurvedic treatments and remedies )
Author: Dr.Savitha Suri , Consultant Ayurvedic Physician
Call us at +91 9945995660 / +91 9448433911
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