Black pepper: nutrition and how to use it

Fun facts

• Vietnam is one of the world's biggest pepper exporters. Phú Quốc pepper and Chư Sê pepper from Gia Lai are household names.
• Black, white and green pepper all come from the same vine. Green pepper is the young berry; black pepper is picked green and sun-dried until wrinkled and dark; white pepper is the ripe berry with its outer skin removed.
• Pepper's sharp bite comes from piperine, a different kind of heat from chili.
• 100g of black pepper has 251 kcal, 25.3g of fiber and 443mg of calcium. But a teaspoon is only about 2g, so around 5 kcal; think of pepper as a seasoning, not a nutrient source.

Choosing and storing

Choose firm, evenly colored peppercorns with a clear, spicy smell. Buy whole peppercorns and grind as you go, because pre-ground pepper loses its aroma fast. Keep it in a sealed jar, cool and dry, to prevent mold.

Cooking it well

Add pepper at the end of cooking or at the table for the best aroma. Pepper makes food taste fuller, so it is a great way to use less salt and fish sauce without missing flavor; read more in how much salt Vietnamese eat. Salt, pepper and lime is a light dip for seafood and boiled chicken. At kOBE, our sous vide chicken range includes a pepper sauce flavor, and the home recipe library has more than 500 dishes using pepper.

Frequently asked questions