Spices & Herbs

Difference between spice and herb?

No clear distinction
Herbs usually leaves (sometimes seeds),
usually from temperate-origin plants
Spices usually flowers, fruits, or bark of
tropical-origin plants

spice
Black pepper
Ginger
Nutmeg
Mace
Cloves
Cassia and
Cinnamon

Part of plant used

Dried fruits (peppercorns)
Rhizome (underground stem)
Seed
Covering of nutmeg seeds
Unopened flower buds
Bark

Cardamom
Turmeric
Sesame

Fruits, seeds
Rhizome
Seeds

Herbs
Usually aromatic leaves
Used in cooking
Also, in shampoos,
cosmetics, soaps,
medicines, aromatherapy
(e.g., Vicks vaporub, with
camphor, menthol, &
eucalyptus oils)
See Table 17a

Spices & herbs

Scents & flavors usually due to unique essential
oils; i.e., to secondary compounds, especially
isoprenoids (terpenes).
Natural plant function in pollinator & fruit/seeddisperser attraction.
And/or plant protection from herbivores, &
pathogens (mostly fungi, bacteria).
Most of these secondary compounds have antimicrobial activities.

spice
Derives from the Latin word species,
meaning specific kind, and later, goods or
merchandise.

Plants that Changed History, Joan Elma Rhan, 1982

First use of spices & herbs

Origins pre-date ancient Greeks & Romans, etc.
Today we use spices & herbs primarily to make good food
taste even better.
In the days before refrigeration, spices were used to hide
the taste and odor of less-than-fresh food, and to prolong
the freshness of food (especially in warm climates).
Today, some perfumes, soaps, and lotions are lightly
scented with spices & herbs.
In the days before people took frequent baths, spices/herbs
were used as deodorants. Those who could afford to do so
had spices/herbs sown or tucked into their clothes to hide
their body odors.
Plants that Changed History, Joan Elma Rhan, 1982

Early Spices
Orient/Old World
cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, black pepper, ginger,
cloves, cardamom, anise, caraway, mustard,
saffron

New World
allspice, chilies & paprika, vanilla

Ancient History

Egypt
Greeks
Romans
Arabs & Middle East
After fall of Rome and
during the Dark Ages
(ca. 600-1000 AD)
Lost access to spices
from the Orient

Trade between the empires of Asia and Rome

Why were spices popular for trading?

it was very lucrative

transported easily
improved food & health
many diverse uses for most spices
very popular with the upper classes
spicy food considered classy, sign of wealth

Spice Trade, post-dark ages

Crusades in 1096: Europeans are out fighting in the
Middle East and taste exotic spices and want to bring
them back.
1180s: Pepperers guild, predecessor to herbalist and
physicians.
Middle Ages: spices valuable trade item used to pay
bills, taxes.
1300: Polo brothers travel to China and bring back tales
of spices.
By 1300s: spice trade was a legitimate profession.

Papal Race for Spice Islands

During the late 15th century, the popes
favorites
Spain and Portugal

After that, Pope issued a decree to divide

the world between Spain and Portugal from
Pole to Pole
Portugal got the EAST, Spain got the
WEST

Age of Exploration
onset of an age of exploration that lasted almost
500 years
Columbus discovered America in 1492
didnt know the size of the Earth or about the Pacific
Ocean

Charles V and King of Spain sent Magellan on an

expedition to reach the Spice Islands
westward route through the South Seas and Spice
Islands

Were Columbus and Magellan

voyages failures ?
Neither won for Spain the easy access to
spices that she wanted.
Columbus never found the spices or the
lands he sought.
Magellans expedition reached the Spice
Islands, but the route across the Pacific
Ocean was much too long and much too
dangerous to be practical then.
Plants that Changed History, Joan Elma Rhan, 1982

What spice trade accomplished

New lands were discovered, and the question of whether
the world was spherical or flat was finally decided.
New plants and animals were discovered; some of them
were transported to continents where they had never been
before, but where the climate was suitable.
Peoples diets became more varied and better balanced.
Europeans, whose homelands were beginning to be
overpopulated, colonized the newly discovered lands, some
of which had plenty of space.
Generally, this worked out well for the Europeans, but
rather badly for the natives of the colonized countries.
For better or worse, the search for species brought together
the civilizations that had developed separately in the
ancient worlds. They would never be isolated again.
Plants that Changed History, Joan Elma Rhan, 1982

Imperialism
Portugal, via colonies and outposts, dominated
spice trading for ca. 100 years (16th century).
Thereafter, the Dutch, especially, and British took
control of spice trading.
Dutch took over the Indonesia & Ceylon
Dutch East India company

England took over India, Singapore, Hong Kong

British East India company

Spices & Herbs

A quick survey of representatives

Piper nigrum
(black & white pepper)
Climbing vine native to India
and East Indies; in Piperaceae
(pepper) family
Berries picked green, darken
& shrivel upon drying.
Biting flavor due to volatile
oils, flavor dissipates after
grinding.
White pepper berries ripen
on vine, outer hull removed.
The most widely used spice
today.

Cinnamomum zeylanicum
(cinnamon)
Parts used- oil & bark
Evergreen tree native to
India & Sri Lanka; in Laurel
family
PropertiesAstringent, stimulant, antiinfective, anti-fungal,
digestive aid
One of the oldest and most
valuable spices
Related spice, called
cassia, from C. cassia.

Eugenia caryophyllata
(clove)
Parts Used: closed flower buds
Active Compounds: Clove oil
is 60 to 90 percent eugenol,
which is the source of its
anesthetic and antiseptic
properties.
An evergreen tree, 15 to 30
feet tall; in Myrtaceae (Myrtle)
family
Native to the Spice Islands and
the Philippines, but also grown
in India, Sumatra, Jamaica, the
West Indies, Brazil, and other
tropical areas.

Myristica fragans
(nutmeg & mace)

Part used- dried kernel of the

seed.
Tree is about 25 feet high, has a
greyish-brown smooth bark,
abounding in a yellow juice.
Native to Spice Islands;
Myristicaceae (nutmeg) family
Fruit is source of 2 spices,
nutmeg & mace.
Mace is derived from the netlike aril that is wrapped around
the pit.
Within the pit is a single seed,
the source of nutmeg.

Zingiber officinale (ginger)

Member of ginger family

Perennial native to tropical Asia
Plant part used = Rhizome
name from Sanskrit word stringa-vera, which
means with a body like a horn, as in
antlers.
In English pubs and taverns in the nineteenth
century, bar-keepers put out small containers
of ground ginger, for people to sprinkle into
their beer the origin of ginger ale.

Curcuma longa (turmeric)

Member of ginger family

Perennial native to tropical Asia
Part used: rhizome
Culinary uses (e.g., Middle East &
India)
Dyes uses too (yellow)

Crocus sativus
(saffron)

Member of Iris family

From zafaran in Arabic
From 3-parted Stigma of flower
Dried by slow roasting
Imparts delicate & distinct taste & color
Used in French, Spanish, Middle
Eastern & Indian cooking
Each saffron crocus flower has 3
stigmas
Ca. 80,000 flowers (240,000) stigmas to
make a pound of saffron
12 days to pick
cost is > $250 per ounce
(so most costly spice)
1444: any merchant caught selling
adulterated saffron in Bavaria was
burned alive

Capsicum species
(hot & sweet peppers)
Members of tomato family (Solonaceae)
Many are cultivars of Capsicum annum
E.g., bell pepper & cayenne

Four other common species

E.g., C. clilense includes habenero and C. fructescens
includes tabasco pepper

Many varieties
Origin = New World; used by 9000 y. ago
Hot due to seven related alkaloids, including
capsaicin (mostly in seeds & fruit)

Scoville ratings
(for pepper hotness)
16,000,000: Pure capsaicin
100,000-350,000: Habanero
30,000-50,000: Cayenne
pepper
5,000-23,000: Serrano pepper
2,500-5,000: Tabasco sauce
/Jalapeno
1,000-2,000: Poblano pepper
100-500 Pepperoncini pepper
Ca. 0: Sweet Bell pepper

Vanilla planifolia (vanilla)

flavoring comes from the seed pod, or the bean of the vanilla plant
member of orchid family (Orchidaceae); perennial vine
behind saffron and cardamom, vanilla is 3rd most expensive spice
non-culinary uses, including aromatizing perfumes, cigars, & liqueurs
Europeans prefer the bean, while N. Americans the extract
extract made by percolating alcohol & water through chopped cured
beans

Herbs

Bee balm
Monarda fistulosa

Kick a cold
Breathe easy
Help control oily skin
Cook with a taste of
native America

Borage
Borago officinalis
The heros herb
Help heal the heart
Squelch stubborn skin
inflammations
eczema

Create stellar salads

Catnip
Nepeta cataria
Calm after a storm
Take the sting out of
stress
Make a cat happy
Enjoy a roman salad

Chamomile
Matricaria sp.

Better than counting

sheep
Beat anxiety and
insomnia
Relieve indigestion
Soothe irritated skin

Alliums (Lily family)

(onion group)

Onion- A. cepa
Garlic- A. sativum
Leeks- A. porrum
Shallots- A. ascalonicum
Chives- A. schoenprasum

Most rich in volatile sulfurcontaining compounds

Culinary & medicinal uses
Among oldest cultivated plants

Onions

Originated in Asia
Ancient Egyptians worshipped the onion,
believing that its spherical shape and
concentric rings symbolized eternity. Of
all the vegetables that had their images
created from precious metals by Egyptian
artists, only the onion was made out of
gold.
Ranks sixth among the world's leading
vegetable crops.
You can get rid of onion breath by eating
parsley.
Yellow onions make up more than 75% of
the worlds production of onions.
The official state vegetable of Georgia is
the Vidalia onion.
The official state vegetable of Texas is the
Texas Sweet onion.
According to the National Onion
Association, onion consumption in the
U.S. has increased approximately 50%
over the past 20 years.

Chives
Onion benefits without
tears
Help lower blood
cholesterol levels
Help reduce blood
pressure
Help prevent certain
types of cancer

Garlic

Culinary, medicinal, and religious use dates

back more than 6000 years.
Chicago got it's name from the American
Indian word for the wild garlic that grew
around Lake Michigan - "chicagaoua".
California produces more than 250 million
pounds of garlic each year. One farm in
Monterey County (near Gilroy, "The Garlic
Capital of the World") plants 2000 acres of
garlic and produces almost 25 million
pounds annually.
There is an all-garlic restaurant in
Stockholm where they offer a garlic
cheesecake.
There is an all-garlic restaurant in San
Francisco where they offer a garlic ice
cream. The name of the place is a nickname
for garlic...The Stinking Rose!

raw garlic
Prevent & cure infection
1 clove contains substances equivalent to
100,000 units of penicillin (1/5 avg dose)

Help prevent cancer & heart disease

Make lean foods taste robust
Eat sprig of fresh tarragon for temporary
relief of garlic breath or odorless garlic in
capsules

purple cone flower

Echinacea purpurea
Fight off colds and flu
Heal minor cuts &
scratches
Give your immune system
a shot in the arm
Compound echinsin,
shown to be antiviral that
behaves similarly to
interferon
Echinacoside has
antibiotic properties

Evening primrose
Oenothera biensis
Petals open at night
Soothes PMS and
menopause symptoms
Help prevent high blood
pressure
Smooth & soften dry skin
Active compound:
gamma-linolenic acid
(GLA)

Feverfew
Chrysanthemum parthenium

Sooth a migraine
Repel insects in the
garden
pyrethrin

Keep bees at bay

English lavender
(L. officinalis or L. vera)
Create an herbal
antiseptic
Relax and rejuvenate
mind and body
Help normalize oily
skin

 White & yellow, Brassica alba;

black (brown), Brassica nigra.
Volatile oil derived from
sinigrin/sinalbin & enzyme,
myrosin.
Mustard plants produce about 1,000
pounds of seeds per acre.
In one year at New York's Yankee
Stadium, more than 1,600 gallons
plus 2,000,000 individual packets
of mustard are consumed.
Most of the mustard seeds used in
Dijon, France are actually grown in
the United States and Canada.
Canada produces about 90 percent
of the world's supply of mustard
seeds.
Over 700 million pounds of
mustard are consumed worldwide
each year.
The Mustard Museum is in Mount
Horeb, Wisconsin.
world's largest collection of
mustards, with over 3,500 varieties.

Mustard
(Brassicaceae)

Horseradish

(Amoracia rusticana;
Brassica Family)

prized for its medicinal and gastronomic qualities

for centuries.
Same volatile oil as mustard
Did you know that . . .
Horseradish is still planted and harvested mostly by
hand?
Sales of bottled horseradish began in 1860, making
it one of the first convenience foods?
In the American South, horseradish was rubbed on
the forehead to relieve headaches? (Some folks still
swear by it.)
Horseradish is added to some pickles to add
firmness and "nip"?
Before being named "horseradish," the plant was
known as "redcole" in England and as "stingnose"
in some parts of the U.S.?
Horseradish has only 2 calories a teaspoon, is low
in sodium and provides dietary fiber?
Researchers at M.I.T. claim that the enzyme
"horseradish peroxidase" removes a number of
pollutants from waste water?
Germans still brew horseradish schnapps . . . .
some also add it to their beer?

Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
Related to wild parsnip
(Pastinaca sativa) (in the
Umbel family, along with
carrots, celery, dill,
parsnips, fennel, caraway,
anise, coriander, cumin,
poison hemlock)
Has low levels of same
toxin as the wild species
Many of these look
gorgeous in the garden.

St Johns wort
Hypericum perforatum

Relieve aches & pains

arthritis, rheumatism,
sciatica

Find herbal help for

depression
Have soft silky hair
Red color of oil from
hypericin

Speedwell
Veronica arvenis

Calm a cough
Leptandrine, acts as
expectorant
Mix with Chinese
licorice root to balance
bitter flavor

Soften tough calluses

Tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus

Give high blood

pressure the boot
Discover possible link
in cancer prevention
Compound = rutin

Yarrow
Achillea millefollium

Famous fever fighter

Help heal cuts &
scratches
Smooth stressed skin
Stimulate the compost
heap

Mint Family
(Lamiaceae)

Native to Mediterranean region

Includes thyme, sages,
marjoram, oregano, rosemary,
savory, hyssops, basil, the
various mints, catnip, and
horehound.
Common garden mint is
spearmint, not peppermint .
Square stems & aromatic
simple leaves with oil glands.

Peppermint
Mentha piperita

Soothe your stomach

Refresh itchy skin
Cool spicy foods
Active ingredient:
menthol

Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis

Help relieve high

blood pressure
Digestive aid
Volatile oil, eugenol,
which calms the
gastrointestinal tract

Add a lemon lift to

foods

Rosemary
Rosemary officinalis
De-stress the stomach
rosmaricine

Help heal a headache

Have shiny hair
Use as hair rinse

Sage
Salvia officinalis

Sore gum soother

Subdue a sore throat
Refresh skin after
shaving
Boost flavor of low-fat
foods
Camphor & other
volatile oils