Sichuan pepper (hua jiao)
Zanthoxylum bungeanum · 花椒
Spices. Chinese Medicine.
Also called Hua jiao, Chinese prickly ash, Szechuan pepper
Pinyin: Huā Jiāo
Spanish: Pimienta de Sichuán
A tingly spice from a citrus relative, used in cooking and in Chinese medicine for cold stomach pain and toothache.
Did you know? Sichuan pepper is not a true pepper. It is a citrus relative, and its tingle comes from a compound called sanshool.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Digestion & gut health. Used to warm the stomach and ease cold belly pain in tradition. Human trials are lacking.Traditional proof
- Parasites & worms. Used to kill worms in tradition. Human proof is limited.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Chinese medicine uses hua jiao to warm the stomach, ease cold pain, and kill some worms. Folk use also includes numbing toothaches.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Carminative, Anti-parasite, Analgesic. Energy: warming.
- Chinese medicine
- 花椒 Warm the interior. Nature: warm. Flavour: pungent. Enters the Spleen, Stomach and Kidney channels.
How people take it
Used as a spice in small amounts. Medicinal use is usually a few grams, but there is no standard dose.
Food, powder and oil.
Where to get it
Grown in China and other parts of Asia. Sold as whole dried peppercorns, ground spice, and oil. Oils and extracts are stronger than the whole spice.
Be careful
Safe in cooking amounts for most people. Large amounts may cause mouth numbness or stomach upset. People with a citrus allergy may react.
Avoid if: citrus allergy.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Part of Chinese five-spice powder.
The honest take
Sichuan pepper is a useful spice with a traditional role in Chinese medicine. Human proof for its medicine uses is thin, and most claims come from tradition and lab work. As food, it is low risk.