Pimento is the fruit of a type of pepper that grows in the Caribbean, primarily in Jamaica. It is picked before it ripens and spread out in the sun to dry. Its English name – allspice, literally all spices – is inspired by its flavor, which combines the spicy elements of clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

It was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus, who initially thought it was pepper; however, the fruit is much larger, roughly the size of a small pea. In cooking, it is typically used whole and removed at the end of the cooking process.

As one of the essential spices of Eastern cuisine, allspice not only adds flavor to foods and sauces but also activates gastric fluids, thereby helping the stomach digest fatty or "heavy" foods.

Like all spices that belong to the broader family of peppers, allspice has warming and anti-inflammatory properties and also contains manganese and selenium.