Piper Guineense (Bush Pepper)

Bush Pepper is botanically known as Piper guineense, and Uziza in Igbo, 

Bush pepper is a West African spice that is full of flavors and medicinal benefits.  

The leaves of Piper guineense give a peppery flavor to soups while the dried seeds give West African dishes an aromatic and spicy flavor. 

In West African communities, it is commonly used by postpartum women to help shrink the uterus back to its normal size. 

Just like most peppers, piperine is the active constituent that is responsible for most of bush pepper (uziza) numerous medicinal benefits and pungent aroma.

The seeds and leaves are rich in essential nutrients like carbohydrates, lipids, protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, sodium, and iron. 

Uziza’s rich content of antioxidants like piperine and other phytochemicals (flavonoids) is responsible for its many health benefits. The health benefits of this amazing plant include:

. RELIEVES COLD AND  COUGH - Uziza has been in use in ancient African medicine to treat cold and cough symptoms. Piperine, the essential oil in uziza helps to relieve congestion and clear out thick mucus.

To prepare a drink that relieves cold symptoms; simply mix one tablespoon of dried grounded uziza seed with two tablespoons of honey in a cup of hot water. Allow to rest and drink three times daily until symptoms clear completely.

. USE TO TREAT MALE AND FEMALE INFERTILITY- In Natural Wellness  and in African medicine, dried uziza seed is used as an aphrodisiac in males and females. It relaxes the nerves and improves blood circulation.

While the leaves are used to treat fibroids and correct infertility in women.

. PROMOTES UTERINE CONTRACTION AFTER CHILDBIRTH -  Uziza (Piper guineense) is added to soups and given to women after childbirth. It is believed to reduce or shrink the uterus, cleanse the uterus, and promote milk supply. 

. FIGHTS INFECTIONS - leaves of uziza have long been in use to treat microbial infections in Natural Wellness Remedies.

. PROMOTES WEIGHTLOSS - Adding uziza to your diet may help boost your metabolism and promote weight loss, also, drinking uziza tea before meals promote satiety, and reduces overeating.

. PREVENTS CANCER - Piperine, the active ingredient in Piper guineense has been found to inhibit the proliferation and growth of cancer cells 

. IT ENHANCES BRAIN FUNCTION- Piper guineense has been in use in African traditional medicine to treat convulsion and epileptic seizures. Scientific research also confirmed this. 

. IMPROVES DIGESTION- The leaves of uziza (Piper guineense) add fiber to your diet, stimulates bowel movement, and reduces constipation, it also has carminative properties that help to reduce flatulence and stomach gas.

. CONTROLS BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL- A high in blood sugar level is a common symptom of diabetes. Traditional medicine experts believe that eating uziza soup regularly could help treat high blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

. IT HAS  ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES-  Inflammation is often an underlying factor in most health conditions like diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and cancer. In natural wellness poultice prepared from dried seeds of uziza is applied externally to reduce arthritic pain. 

. Tea: You can prepare uziza tea for cold and cough. Simply place 2 or 3 leaves of fresh uziza leaves into a cup of hot water. Allow seeping for some minutes before drinking. You can sweeten with honey to your taste. Or put in pot and boil for 10mins, put off the heat, pour in a cup add honey and enjoy the tea.

. Garnish: A dash of dried ground uziza fruit can be a tasty seasoning for beef, poultry, fish, vegetables, stew, rice, and yam.

. Soups: You can prepare “uziza soup” by adding fresh or dried uziza leaves and seeds to beef stock. Garnish with palm oil, fish, crayfish, seasonings, and any green vegetables of your choice It gives a delicious savory soup that can be eaten with  any kind of swallow, rice or mash.