Spices, herbs and condiments · IFCT 2017
Pippali (long pepper): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, pippali gives 217 kcal, 34.1 g fibre, 1852 mg potassium, 414 mg calcium and 7.99 mg iron, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. The potassium ranks 3rd of 243 foods and the fibre 5th of 256. Long pepper is used a pinch or a single catkin at a time, so it brings heat and aroma rather than measurable nutrition to a dish.
About pippali (long pepper)
Pippali, or long pepper, Piper longum, is a close cousin of black pepper whose tiny fruits grow fused together in a slender grey catkin about the size of a finger joint. It is pipli in Hindi, pipul in Bengali and Urdu, tippili or thippili in Tamil, tippali in Malayalam, pippallu in Telugu and pimpli in Marathi, and IFCT 2017 records names in 11 languages. It grows wild and cultivated in Kerala, Assam, Meghalaya and the eastern Himalaya.
Before chillies arrived from the Americas, long pepper and black pepper were India's main sources of heat. Today pippali is used mostly in home remedies and Ayurveda, where it is one of the three spices of trikatu with dry ginger and black pepper. In the kitchen it appears in Tamil thippili rasam, a peppery soup for colds, in Lucknowi nihari masala and in some pickles. Its taste is hotter and sweeter than black pepper.
What pippali (long pepper) brings to a meal
- 01
Potassium and fibre
Pippali lists 1852 mg of potassium per 100 g, 3rd of 243 foods, and 34.1 g of fibre, 5th of 256. In a pinch, these amounts are very small.
- 02
Calcium and iron
It carries 414 mg of calcium per 100 g, 12th of 242 foods, and 7.99 mg of iron, 23rd of 242.
- 03
Plant omega-3
Long pepper has 299 mg of alpha-linolenic acid per 100 g, ranking 5th of 21 spices and herbs and 28th of 203 foods.
- 04
Vitamin B6 and folate
It gives 0.6 mg of vitamin B6 and 66 micrograms of folate per 100 g, figures that matter only for comparison with other spices.
Pippali (long pepper) nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 217 kcal | 10% | 13% |
| Protein | 10.5 g | 19% | 23% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 35.7 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 34.1 g | ||
| Free sugars | 2.8 g | ||
| Total fat | 2.3 g | ||
| Water | 10.9 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.6 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.33 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.89 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 299 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 414 mg | 41% | 41% |
| Iron | 7.99 mg | 42% | 28% |
| Zinc | 1.52 mg | 9% | 12% |
| Magnesium | 189 mg | 43% | 51% |
| Phosphorus | 181 mg | ||
| Potassium | 1,852 mg | ||
| Sodium | 16 mg | ||
| Copper | 1.34 mg | ||
| Selenium | 20.5 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 545 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.06 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.14 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.06 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.6 mg | 25% | 32% |
| Folate (B9) | 66 µg | 22% | 30% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.01 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 93.4 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Pippali (long pepper): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/spices-and-herbs/pippali-long-pepper/
Where pippali (long pepper) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 20 spices, herbs and condiments and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In spices, herbs and condiments | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 34.1 g | 4th of 21 | 5th of 182 |
| Iron | 7.99 mg | 14th of 21 | 23rd of 242 |
| Calcium | 414 mg | 7th of 21 | 12th of 242 |
| Magnesium | 189 mg | 11th of 21 | 30th of 242 |
| Potassium | 1,852 mg | 3rd of 21 | 3rd of 243 |
| Beta-carotene | 545 µg | 7th of 20 | 38th of 160 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 299 mg | 5th of 21 | 28th of 202 |
How pippali (long pepper) is eaten
- Thippili rasam: long pepper, black pepper, cumin and garlic roasted and ground into a thin tamarind soup.
- Nihari masala: a little pipli ground with fennel, dry ginger and other whole spices for slow-cooked meat.
- Dry-roast and crush a catkin over a winter dal or soup for a sweet, lingering heat.
- Trikatu: equal parts dry ginger, black pepper and long pepper, a traditional household spice blend.
Before you plan around it
Pippali is a hot spice used in tiny amounts, so its per-100 g nutrients are only useful for comparison. In Ayurveda it is taken as powders and decoctions; concentrated preparations should be used only on a qualified practitioner's advice, and pregnant women and people on regular medicines should check with their doctor first. Buy whole catkins from a reliable spice seller, as powders are easy to mix with cheaper fillers.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about pippali (long pepper)
What is pippali in English?
Pippali is long pepper, Piper longum, a relative of black pepper. It is pipli in Hindi, pipul in Bengali and thippili in Tamil.
What is the difference between pippali and black pepper?
Black pepper is a single round berry; long pepper is a cluster of tiny fruits fused into a catkin, hotter and slightly sweeter. IFCT 2017 gives them very similar figures: both have 217 kcal per 100 g.
Is pippali good for a cough or cold?
Pippali is a traditional ingredient in Indian home remedies for colds, often in rasam or with honey. It can make a warm drink more soothing, but a cough that lasts or comes with fever needs a doctor.
Related foods and tables
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Turmeric powder
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
Calcium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calcium per 100 g.
All spices, herbs and condiments
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Learn to use this data
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