Allspice, also known popularly as Jamaican pepper or pimento, is one of the widely used spice ingredients in the Mexican and other Central American cuisines.

Health benefits of Allspice

• The active principles in the allspice found to have been anti-inflammatory, rubefacient (warming and soothing), carminative and anti-flatulent properties.

• Allspice contains health benefiting essential oils such as eugenol, a phenylpropanoids class of chemical compound, which gives pleasant, sweet aromatic fragrances to this spice. The outer coat of the allspice-berries is believed to have the greatest concentration of some of the compounds of medicinal activities.

• As in black peppercorns, the active principles in the allspice may increase the motility of the gastro-intestinal tract as well as augment the digestion power by increasing enzyme secretions inside the stomach and intestines.

• Eugenol, has local anesthetic and antiseptic properties, hence; useful in gum and dental treatment procedures. Recent research studies have shown that preparation made from allspice oil mixed with extractions from garlic and oregano can work against E.coli, Salmonella and L.monocytogenes infections.

• The spice is enriched with the good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, copper,selenium, and magnesium. Iron is an important co-factor for cytochrome-oxidase enzymes during cellular metabolism. It is also required for red blood cell production in the bone marrow. Being an important component of cell and body fluids, potassium helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the powerful antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

• Further, the spice also contains very good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), riboflavin,niacin and vitamin-C. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant; regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.

Culinary uses

In order to keep the fragrance and flavor intact, allspice generally ground just before preparing dishes and added to the cooking recipes at final stages. This is because prolonged cooking results in evaporation of essential oils.

Here are some serving methods:

• Pimento corns are widely used in Caribbean cuisines. In Jamaica, the corn, along with the scotch bonnet peppers, is one of the two main ingredients in famousJamaican jerk spice. Along with other spices, its mixture (paste) is being used to rub, and to marinate chicken, fish, and meats.

• Some Indian vegetarian and chicken curries contain this spice; and in the Middle East, it is used in meat and rice dishes.

• The spice has also been used in the preparation of soups, barbecue sauces, pickling and as a main ingredient in variety of curry powders.