Group · Herbs & spices
White pepper
White pepper is made from the ripe berries of the pepper vine, with the outer skin removed before drying. Milder and more subtle than black pepper, it develops fermented, slightly earthy notes that go especially well with light sauces, fish and creamy dishes where you do not want to see dark specks. Nutritionally, white pepper has around 313 kcal per 100 g, but it is eaten in such small amounts that its calorie impact is negligible. Rich in fibre (26.2 g) and providing a little protein, it is one of the essential spices for tasty, balanced cooking, letting you season without relying on salt or fat.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 313 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 1320 kJ |
| Protein | 12,1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 48,3 g |
| Fat | 2,2 g |
| Fibre | 26,2 g |
Micronutrients per 100 g
All measured nutrients, ranked by share of the daily reference intake.
- Manganese4,3 mg215 %
- Iron14,3 mg102 %
- Copper0,91 mg91 %
- Calcium265 mg33 %
- Vitamin C21 mg26 %
- Phosphorus176 mg25 %
- Magnesium90 mg24 %
- Zinc1,13 mg11 %
- Vitamin B9dietary folate equivalents10 µg
See the other 6 nutrients
- Vitamin B20,13 mg9 %
- Vitamin B60,1 mg7 %
- Selenium3 µg5 %
- Potassium73 mg4 %
- Vitamin B10,02 mg2 %
- Vitamin B30,21 mg1 %
Anses Ciqual 2025. Source: Anses, 2025, Ciqual food composition table
Tips
White pepper is always used in very small amounts, generally a pinch or a turn of the grinder per plate. At that dose, its nutrition facts have no effect on your calorie intake: it is a seasoning, not a food to be counted. Its strength lies in its ability to lift a dish without adding salt or fat, a valuable asset for light cooking.
How do you use white pepper? It excels in white sauces, velvety soups, mashed potato, cream-based dishes, and with fish and white meats. Because its aromas are volatile, add it towards the end of cooking and grind it at the last moment to keep it at its freshest. Store it whole in an airtight container, away from light and damp, and grind the peppercorns as you need them.
- Varieties and forms: whole peppercorns, powder or cracked. Whole peppercorns keep their intensity much longer than powder.
- Key nutrients: fibre, a little plant protein, and piperine, the compound that gives it its characteristic heat.
- Pairings: excellent with ground nutmeg in a béchamel, or with bay leaf in stocks.
White pepper has a natural place among the herbs and spices that make up tasty cooking. If you want a stronger, more peppery flavour, black pepper is better suited to rustic dishes and grills, while white pepper remains the ally of delicate preparations.
For active people: spices such as white pepper are valuable tools for adding flavour to dishes that are often bland during a cutting phase or when controlling calories. Seasoning a chicken breast, an omelette or a vegetable mash with white pepper lets you vary your meals without increasing fat or sodium. It is consistent with a well-run balanced diet, where taste should never be sacrificed.
Weight control: good news, white pepper provides neither fast sugars nor problematic fats at the amounts used in cooking. Just be wary of the rich sauces it often goes with: it is the creamy base, not the spice, that tips the scales. For healthy cooking, favour gentle cooking methods and let white pepper lift your dishes without weighing them down.