On Food and Cooking

control the growth of tumors. And some
phenolic compounds and terpenes are
antiinflammatory agents; they moderate the
body’s overreaction to cell damage, which can
otherwise contribute to the development of
both heart disease and cancer.

The Relative    Strengths   of  Pungent

Chemicals   in  Black   Pepper, Chillis,    and

Ginger

In   this    list,   the     pungency    of  piperine,   the

active   ingredient  in  black   pepper,     is

arbitrarily  set     at  1.  The     ingredients     in

ginger  and grains  of  paradise    are similar in

strength,   while   the capsaicins  in  chillis are

much     stronger.   The     actual  pungency    of  a

given   spice   depends both    on  the identity    of

the active  ingredient  and its concentration

in  the spice.

Pungent

Compound

Spice Relative

Pungency