A sneeze is a reflex that is triggered when nerve endings inside
the mucous membrane of the nose are stimulated.
Pepper, be it white, black, or green, contains an alkaloid of
pyridine called piperine. Piperine acts as an irritant
if it gets into the nose. It stimulates (or irritates) the nerve
endings
inside the mucous membrane. This stimulation will cause you to
sneeze. Actually, the nose wants to kick out this irritant and
the only way it knows how to do this is by sneezing."
Did you know ...
- Sneezing is called sternutation.
- When you sneeze air rushes out your nose at a rate of 100
miles per hour!
- There are an estimated 5 million scent receptors in the human
nose.
- Our noses produce an estimated one to two pints of mucus
a day.
Pepper facts:
- Known as the "king of spices" because it is one
of the oldest and most popular spices in the world.
- Pepper was so valuable that in ancient Greece and Rome it
was used as currency.
- It is believed that when the Goths defeated
Rome in
410, they demanded a ransom of 3,000 pounds of pepper, along
with
other valuables such as silk.
- During the middle ages, peppercorns were accepted in lieu
of money for dowries, rent and taxes.
- During the 19th century, Salem, Massachusetts played an
important role in the world pepper trade and made some
of America's
first millionaires.
Related
Web Sites |
- Science
Update and Why Is It? Archives - From the American Association
for the Advancement of Sciences. To listen to a radio
broadcast of why pepper makes you sneeze Click on link
that reads “Why is it: Pepper sneeze?” (Broadcast
aired on June 3, 1999).
- Piperine
Homepage - Created by Lindsey Wakely. This Web site provides
information about the history, chemical properties, and
uses of piperine. Also included is a reference page.
- HerbMed® -
HerbMed® is an herbal database that links to data
on the scientific uses of herbs in medicine. Listed in
the entry for piper nigrum are links to clinical trials,
scientific papers, and cultivation information.
- Gernot
Katzer's Spice Dictionary -
The entry for piper nigrum includes information
on the etymology and origin of black pepper. Also includes
translation of pepper in many different languages and selected
links for more information.
- Rhodium:
Chemistry and Pharmacology Links -The page discusses
the piperine and chemical content found in pepper. Includes
links to papers on the topic.
|
Further
Reading |
- Black
pepper: Piper nigrum. Edited by P.N. Ravindran. Australia,
Harwood Academic, 2000. 553 p.
- Hughs,
Meredith Saylers. Flavor foods: spices and herbs. Minneapolis,
Lerner Publications, c2000. 88 p. (Juvenile literature)
- Rosengarten,
Frederic. The book of spices. Wynnewood, PA, Livingston
Pub., 1969. 489 p.
- Weiss,
E. A. Spice Crops. Wallingford, Oxon, U.K.; New York,
CABI Pub., c2002. 411 p.
|
For
more print resources...
Search on pepper
spice, piper nigrum, and spices
in the Library of Congress Online
Catalog. |
From UCLA's Special Collection, "Spices."
http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/biomed
/spice/index.cfm?displayID=20
From UCLA's Special Collection, "Spices." http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/biomed/spice/
images/historical_BLACKPEPPER.jpg
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