Both white pepper and black pepper are commonly used in daily life, but are there differences between them? White pepper mainly has a warming effect on the stomach, while black pepper can invigorate the spleen and kidney. The medicinal value of white pepper is higher.

1. White pepper warms the stomach, while black pepper can warm and invigorate the spleen and kidney. Pepper is not only a commonly used seasoning but also has certain medicinal properties and can play a role in food therapy. However, there are differences between white and black pepper, and different types are suitable for cooking different dishes.

2. Generally speaking, most peppers grow in high-temperature and long-term humid regions, with spicy and hot properties, so they have a strong effect of warming the middle-jiao and dispelling coldness and pain. The more southerly the growing place of pepper, the warmer it is, because it has fully absorbed the Yang heat of the south. Therefore, Hainan pepper has the strongest warming effect.

3. White pepper has slightly higher medicinal value and slightly lower flavoring effect. Its taste is relatively spicier than black pepper, so it has stronger functions of dispelling cold and invigorating the stomach. People with lung cold and phlegm can add white pepper to mutton soup to warm the lung and resolve phlegm. Some people are prone to stomachache, which is caused by intestinal deficiency-cold. Add ginseng and atractylodes to the stewed meat, and then add some white pepper for seasoning. In addition to dispelling cold, it can also play a role in warming and invigorating the spleen and stomach. It is best to add some white pepper powder to cold dishes in daily life to prevent coldness.

4. According to traditional Chinese medicine, foods with black color enter the kidney, therefore, black pepper has a significant effect of warming and invigorating the spleen and kidney, and can treat ‘chicken crowing diarrhea’ (referring to frequent diarrhea in the morning) caused by deficiency-cold of the spleen and kidney. The method is to drink meat soup seasoned with black pepper the night before. Pay attention to two points when cooking with black pepper.

Firstly, the cooking time with meat should not be too long, because black pepper contains volatile oil, and too much heating time will cause its unique spicy taste to volatilize; secondly, high temperature can make the taste of pepper more intense, so it is better for iron plate dishes.

5. Due to the high pungency of pepper, eating it can easily generate Yang Qi in the body, so it is best not to eat too much each time, about 0.3 grams to 1 gram is more appropriate. In addition, people with inflammation and heat should temporarily refrain from eating pepper, otherwise it is more likely to cause fire and damage the Qi.