Aromatic, pungent Sichuan peppercorns are the spicy outer coat of the berries belonging to prickly ash family. The rusty-red peppercorns popular as huajiao, are one of the five spices of Chinese five spice powder. Scientific name: Zanthoxylum simulans.
Prickly-ash tree is a citrus family flowering plant native to mountainous Szechuan region in China. It is a small tree with numerous short spines on both the stems and the leaf petioles, and large knobs on the branches as in lemon.
During the winter season the flowers appear in slender cymes which subsequently produce tiny reddish brown berries by the end of spring. The ripe fruits open out to release the round, black seeds from inside. It is this outer coat (husk) which is used as spice whereas seeds are discarded. Sichuan peppercorns are different from black peppercorns which are native to India in plant characters, aroma and hotness.

Sichuan peppers feature anise like flavour with slight tangy taste and produce less pronounced pungency than other type peppers.

Health benefits

One of the popular ingredients of East Asian cooking, the peppers are indeed very rich source of essential oils, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Unlike other pepper verities, Sichuan pepper contains unique essential oils which give them special citrusy flavour with biting pungent sense. Their aromatic flavour comes from terpenes such as β-myrcene, limonene, geraniol, linalool, cineol, citronellal, and dipentene. Whereas their hotness is due to certain alkamides in the outer shell.

Like black peppers, szechuan peppers also aid in the digestion power by increasing gastro-intestinal juice in the gut.

Szechuan peppers are also good source of vitamins such as vitamin A, carotenes, pyridoxine, and thiamin and minerals like copper, potassium, iron, manganese, phosphorous, selenium and zinc.

Medicinal uses

Native North Americans use the ground bark of Szechuan plant as a remedy for toothache.

Like in anise, these peppers found application in many traditional medicines as stomachic, anti-septic, anti-spasmodic, carminative, digestive, expectorant, stimulant and tonic.

Natural Citrus-aromatic: The sichuan peppers bring so much advantages to human health. People understand that sichuan features a natural citrus-aromatic that is from terpenes; beta-mycrene, geraniol, limonene, cineol and citronellal. Just like a lemongrass and any other source that includes a all-natural citrus-flavour, it is known as the natural aromatic source which help you refresh your feeling

Support Digestive System: Like any others spices, Sichuan peppers include a lively properties that will help boost the gastro-intestinal. Moreover, the digestive system will probably be helped by secreting the ‘waste’ well. For you who may have the digestion’s problem, you might try this.

Rich In Mineral: The content of mineral is supplied complete enough within the Sichuan peppers. You’ll have potassium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium. The iron is a vital substance in haemoglobin that carries the oxygen the red blood vessels.

Relieve The Toothache: The Sichuan plant in the North of America has been utilized to ease the dental proble. You are able to grill 50 grams of dried Sichuan peppers first, mix it until you get it powdered. Apply to the spot of the dental problem once you wash your mouth. Stand for 10-15 minutes. And discover the magic.

Stimulate The Appetite: Are you felling not okay when you’d like to consume something? You don’t have the appetite? You had better put Sichuan peppers within it. The compound within the Sichuan peppers will assist you to have the appetite of the food. Additionally, you’ll eat increasingly more!

Good source of Vitamins: Sichuan peppers may also be good source of vitamins like vitamin-a, carotenes, pyridoxine, as well as thiamin and minerals just like copper, potassium, iron, manganese, phosphorous, selenium and zinc.