The three most-used seasonings here are black peppercorn, garlic powder, and onion powder. Luckily, they all have some great health benefits.
Black Peppercorn, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder are probably the most used seasonings in my kitchen. I keep the peppercorn grinder right behind the stovetop so I can easily grab it when I am cooking. When it’s possible, I prefer to use fresh garlic and onion, But a lot of times, for pure convenience, I use the seasonings.
Originally Published On: August 16, 2018
Last Updated On: June 15, 2021
Black Peppercorn
Health Benefits
Peppercorn has become the most widely traded spice in the world. Peppercorn is actually the fruit of the black pepper vine that is dried out.
- Anti-Inflammatory
- Antibacterial
- Antioxidant
- Blood Pressure Reduction
- Blood Sugar Reduction
- Cancer Cell Growth Inhibitor
- Combats Obesity
- Digestion Health
- Heartburn Eliminator
Cooking with Black Peppercorn
Peppercorn is such a popular spice because it is very versatile. Most of the time it is used cracked by crushing with a mortar and pestle or freshly ground in a pepper mill. We used it freshly ground in any recipe that calls for pepper.
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Growing Black Peppercorn
I’ve never grown my own peppercorn, but it grows best in tropical climates, so would probably do well in our garden in southeast Texas. Although, the vine that it grows on can reach twelve feet tall, so maybe that wouldn’t be so great in my yard with only a six-foot fence.
White, green, red, and black peppercorn are all harvested from the same plant, but the color of the dried fruit (which is what peppercorn is) will depend on how soon you pluck it from the plant.
Purchasing & Storing Tips
When you buy peppercorn from the store, you want to purchase the whole corn and use a pepper mill to grind it as you use it. The flavor is released when the shell comes off of the rest of the fruit, so if you have already ground pepper, you will miss out on a lot of the taste it adds to your dish.
As with most spices, the whole peppercorns can be stored in the pantry. I like to buy the largest container I can and refill my grinder as needed to cut down on the amount of plastic waste. We use it often enough that I don’t find it going stale before finishing a container.
Garlic Powder
Health Benefits
For many centuries, garlic has been used for its medicinal value. Garlic is a popular home remedy because it is fairly cheap and widely available. Many of the benefits come from crushed or diced garlic but some are still present in garlic powder.
- Anti-Inflammatory
- Antioxidant
- Blood Pressure Reduction
- Colon Cancer Risk Reduction
- Heart Health
- Stomach Cancer Risk Reduction
Cooking with Garlic Powder
Garlic is used in a wide variety of foods from almost every culture. It adds a strong but unique flavor to a dish and doesn’t take much.
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Growing Garlic
Well, you can’t specifically grow garlic powder, but you can grow garlic plants from a few store-bought bulbs. They need soil with good nutrients that has room to drain as garlic is susceptible to root rot. The easiest way to plant garlic is to use the cloves from a bulb and plant them a few inches apart with the pointed end up and need to be fertilized as they grow. If they start to flower, trim those off so the plant focuses on the garlic bulb.
Your garlic will be ready to harvest when the leaves on top have started to die off. Carefully dig the bulb out, and let it lay out to dry for a few weeks before storing in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.
Purchasing & Storing Tips
Garlic Powder can be bought in the store on the same aisle as all of the other spices and seasonings. If you want to make your own garlic powder, you’ll have to slice a bulb of garlic into very thin pieces and dehydrate them. Once they are completely dried out, run them through a grinder until they are the desired consistency.
Store the garlic powder in an airtight container with any other seasonings in the kitchen.
Onion Powder
Health Benefits
Made from dehydrated onions, onion powder contains some of the nutrients of a fresh onion but loses some of it in the drying process.
- Antioxidant
- Blood Pressure Reduction
- Digestion Health
- Low in Sodium
- Muscle Health
- Stroke Risk Reduction
Cooking with Onion Powder
Onion powder, since it is in a concentrated form, has a lot of flavor in just a small amount and goes a long way. This can be used as a substitute in almost dish that calls for onion as long as you make sure to put in the correct ratio and don’t overdo it.
RELATED: Recipes using Onion Powder
Growing Onions
Garlic and Onion are very similar in the way they are grown and harvested. If you want to use an onion scrap, you will need to cut the root end off of an onion and plant it in nutrient-rich soil. It will grow stems above the ground, and just like the garlic, trim off any flowers that grow so the plant focuses on the onion bulb underground. Onions are ready to harvest when the leaves start to brown and die off. Dig around the onion bulb to carefully remove it from the soil and rinse it off before bringing inside.
Purchasing & Storing Tips
Onion Powder is available with the other spices and seasoning at the grocery store. Making your own onion powder is done in the same way as the garlic powder. Cut the onion into very thin slices and dehydrate until every piece is crispy. Then use a grinder to make a powder out of the onion.
Keep your onion powder in an airtight container that can be stored with your other seasonings.
Want a printable version of the entire list of Essential Herbs and Spices and their health benefits? Click below to receive the list in PDF format.
Sources for Black Peppercorn, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder information:
- http://www.heirloom-organics.com/guide/va/guidetogrowingpeppercorns.html
- https://draxe.com
- https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/how-to-buy-and-store-peppercorns-like-a-pro-article
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/268286-benefits-of-garlic-powder/
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/4697-need-health-benefits-onions
- https://www.burpee.com/gardenadvicecenter/vegetables/garlic/garlic/article10268.html
- https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/09/diy-garlic-powder-recipe.html
I am obsessed with black peppercorns! You are absolutely right, you have to get them whole and grind them as you use them. I didnt think it would make much of a difference but it truly does!
It’s amazing what a difference that makes! It just tastes so fresh when you do that.
I am obsessed with garlic powder! I love the garlic flavor and sometimes it works out even better than fresh garlic. I also often forget to buy garlic, so its my stand in.
I use it as a stand-in, too. Especially when I want just a bit or want it to mix in better than minced garlic.
I’ve heard a few health benefits of both onion and garlic but who knew black pepper had so many health benefits! This is a great post.
I know, I was a bit surprised about that, too, as I was doing some research!
I use garlic powder more than anything. I love garlic so much so I can never seem to get enough. I now buy it in bulk. It is the only spice I actually go through quickly.
I go through garlic powder and onion powder very quickly. I always buy the large containers of those, too.
Wow, I never knew black pepper had so many health benefits… glad we use plenty of it in our food!
I tend to add a bit of pepper in almost everything, too!
Spices definitely help with so many health issues. I really need to make sure that I have some of these in my cabinets and at the ready for dishes.
They are great for health reasons and adding so much flavor to a dish!
We are always seasoning our dishes so will definitely stock up on these! I especially love adding garlic powder but will try onion as well.. Thanks for this dear!
Garlic and onion are two of my favorites to use when cooking. They add a lot of flavor but using the powder means you don’t bite into pieces of them if that isn’t right for the meal.
OMG a 12 foot tall peppercorn plant would be so fantastic! You should totally do it. I also keep all three of these on hand. Black peppercorn is used in everything and the other two are great when I don’t have fresh!
I know! It would be taller than our fence! I can’t even imagine having that growing in the backyard.
This is such a great resource. I’m going to bookmark this page. I love using spices in my cooking. It’s great to know I’m adding more than just flavor.
That was my thoughts, too. We add a lot of flavor to our meals, but what else are we adding? So many health benefits to them all.
Wow this Herbs & Spices has a lot good health benefits. Honeslty I hate Peppercorns in this time I’ll try to practice eating peppercons. great post from you!
Well, if you don’t like peppercorn, you don’t have to add them. Using other herbs and spices will still give you a lot of the same health benefits.
Natural spices and herbs are quite am important for health. I use garlic powder almost every day.
We use a lot of garlic powder here, too. And I use it freshly minced as well. There are so many benefits to garlic!
I put garlic powder on so many things! It really can make the most bland food great.
I agree, it’s one of my favorite seasonings, along with onion powder.
Wow, I use these three herbs/spices in my cooking but didn’t know about health benefits. Thanks for telling me!
Natural food is so wonderful for the body! Now you know you are doing good while adding flavor to your food.
I love Mediterranean food which uses a lot of spices and herbs, soooo good!!!
Yes, it definitely does! I love adding a lot to mine, too.