What Pepper Can Do for You

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Cancer crusher

By Leslie Barrie

Sprinkle on this spice to calm a cold, detox your skin, and even help fight cancer.

A little pepper may go a long way with your health—it might even help ward off breast cancer. A chemical compound in peppercorns called piperine may be able to help prevent a breast cancer tumor from developing, a University of Michigan Cancer Center study suggests. Pepper’s potential cancer-preventing properties are heightened when it’s paired with turmeric; combine the two in a delicious Indian-style dish, such as yellow curry.

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