Piperine - the same ingredient in black pepper that causes sneezing, is useful for losing weight and maintaining weight.
According to a new preliminary study, piperine "fights" fat by blocking the formation of new fat cells.
If further studies confirm these effects, black pepper could be used in alternative therapies to treat obesity, the researchers said.
For the study, the researchers analyzed the effect of piperine on adipose tissue gene expression in the laboratory and in computer models.
The results of initial research experiments show that piperine inhibits fat cell differentiation. This means that black pepper can be useful in fighting obesity-related diseases, says researcher Wei-hyun Park of Seyong University in Seoul, Korea.
The benefits of black pepper have been known for centuries in traditional Eastern medicine, in which it is used to treat cholera, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems.
Little is still known about how black pepper works, which may explain its beneficial effects.
The results are published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry .