Spices

Spices and herbs are defined as plant derived substances that add flavor to any dish. It is difficult to distinguish between the two. Spices can come from the following plant parts: roots, rhizomes, stems, leaves, bark, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Herbs are typically thought of as non-woody plants.

It is not known when humans began to use the first herbs and spices as flavoring agents. Garlic and onions were documented as being used 4,500 years before present. Humans used spices to help preserve foods before refrigeration. Both were also used in religious ceremonies.

Spices and herbs have historical importance and were once the source of great power and wealth. Arab traders established early spice trading routes. The Greeks expanded the trade routes to the Mediterranean. The Roman Empire had great control and power with the spice trade. Seafaring nations like Portugal, Spain, Holland, and Britain entered the lucrative spice trade and fought many wars to retain power. As plantations of pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and other important spices were established on tropical islands, the spice monopolies were disbanded.

Spices can come from all plant parts. The following lists the part of the plant that is the source of your favorite spice.

Common Spices Derived from Seeds

• Allspice
• Angelica
• Anise
• Annatto
• Black Cumin
• Black pepper
• Brown mustard
• Caraway
• Cardamom
• Cayenne pepper
• Celery seed
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Dill
• Fennel
• Fenugreek
• Juniper berries
• Lovage
• Mace
• Mustard
• Myrtle
• Nutmeg
• Paprika
• Pepper
• Pimento
• Sichuan pepper
• Star anise
• Tabasco pepper
• Tamarind
• Vanilla
• White mustard
• White pepper

Common Spices Derived from Roots, Stems, Bark, Leaves, or Flowers

• Absinthe
• Allspice
• Balm
• Basil
• Bay leaf
• Buchu
• Capers
• Celery
• Cinnamon
• Chamomile
• Chinese keys
• Cloves
• Curry leaf
• Fennel
• Field mint
• French tarragon
• Garden nasturtium
• Ginger
• Hops
• Horseradish
• Hyssop
• Lemon verbena
• Lemongrass
• Licorice
• Makrut lime
• Mint
• Oregano
• Peppermint
• Rue
• Saffron
• Sage
• Spearmint
• Turmeric
• Wasabi
• Wormwood
• Zedoary

New World Spices

The new world has contributed only three significant spices: allspice, capsicum peppers, and vanilla. Allspice was among one of the few spice treasures presented by Columbus to the court of his sponsors.

Vanilla is from one of the largest flowering plant families, the orchid family. The fruit is responsible for the flavoring. Vanilla extract is made by chopping fermented beans and continually percolating an ethanol-water mixture over them to dissolve out the vanillin.

Spicy Fun Facts

• Black pepper once served as currency to pay salaries and bribes
• You can eat the flowers of garden nasturtium, very spicy but good!
• Cinnamon sticks are actually bark.
• Why is saffron the most costly of all herbs and spices? The reason for its high price is based upon the fact that saffron comes from the stigmas of a crocus, Crocus sativus. No other part of the plant is used.

Culinary Herbs

Culinary herbs are used to enhance the flavor of dishes. Many of the flavorful herbs are in the mint family and the carrot family. Both of these families have the presence of volatile oils that are formed in specialized glands or ducts in the leaves and fruits.

Native North American plants that have been used as culinary herbs include:

• Wild mint
• Horsemint
• Loveroot
• California bay
• Tarragon
• Sagebrush
• Juniper
• Wild onion

• Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices. Herbs refer to the leafy green or flowering parts of a plant, while spices are usually dried and produced from other parts of the plant, including seeds, bark, roots and fruit.

• Many herbs have been used as medicine throughout history and are still used as natural remedies.

• Some examples of herbs as medicine: mint gets rid of gas and stomach aches and helps you relax and rest, and oregano has been known to fight viruses and bacteria like antibiotics do.

• Ever since the days of ancient Greek scholars, rosemary has had a reputation for helping with memory and energy. People were known to wear rosemary garlands, braid it into their hair, or dab its oil on their heads to improve mental capabilities while studying.

• Herbs can be used fresh or dried. Some herbs have a stronger flavor when they are dried, but others have a stronger flavor when fresh.

• Herbs can be added to salads, dressings, soups, or steeped as tea.

• There are over 10,000 types of herbs with some of the most common being parsley, mint, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, oregano, basil, dill, chives and garlic.

• New Jersey ranks sixth in the nation for fresh herb production.

Ounce for ounce, many herbs used to flavor our foods have more antioxidant power than berries, fruits and vegetables, according to a recent Agricultural Research Service study. Previous studies of animals and of human blood have shown that foods that score high in antioxidant capacity may protect cells and their components from oxidative damage. The thesis that oxidative damage culminates in many of the maladies of aging is well accepted in the health community.

Herbs are known to be good sources of antioxidants, but their potency can vary depending on species and growing conditions. So researchers at the ARS Fruit Laboratory in Beltsville, Md., evaluated a variety of fresh culinary and medicinal herbs grown under the same environmental conditions at the same location, the ARS National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.

ARS plant physiologist Shiow Wang and visiting scientist Wei Zheng from the Institute of Environmental Science in Zhejing, China, put 27 culinary herbs and 12 medicinal herbs to the antioxidant test. Known as ORAC for short, the test measures the ability of a sample to disarm oxidizing compounds, which our bodies naturally generate as a byproduct of metabolism.

Three different types of oregano--Mexican, Italian and Greek mountain--scored highest in antioxidant activity. Their activity was stronger than that of vitamin E and comparable to the food preservative BHA against fat oxidation, the researchers reported in the November 2001 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Several other culinary herbs--among them rose geranium, sweet bay, dill, purple amaranth and winter savory--also showed strong antioxidant activity. But it was about one-half to one-third as potent as that of the oreganos. The medicinal herbs generally scored lower in antioxidant activity, suggesting that their health benefits mostly stem from other functions in the body.

According to Wang, antioxidant activity of these herbs may vary considerably, depending on where they are grown. But their rankings would tend to hold up in other environments because of characteristic compounds in each species. The oreganos, for instance, had high levels of the potent antioxidant rosmarinic acid.

The highest scorer in this study, Mexican oregano (Poliomintha longiflora), is used in traditional Mexican and Southwest recipes. Its flavor is a bit stronger than Italian oregano (Origanum x majoricum), used to season meats, egg dishes, soups and vegetables. Greek mountain oregano (Origanum vulgare ssp.hirtum), had the third highest score.

ARS is the chief scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Growing your own herbs is simple and cost-effective. Just snip off the amount that you need for cooking. Use these tips to get started. Always wash fresh herbs before use.

Where to Grow Herbs

Indoors

Place in a sunny east- or south-facing window or under a skylight.  Or, consider a grow light to place over your herbs.  Basil, parsley, and rosemary are easy to grow indoors.

Small Outdoor Space

For easy use, plant herbs along walkways or at the edge of your garden. 

Patio or Balcony

Find ways to use vertical space.  Hanging baskets and multi-level plant stands can help add more herbs per square foot.  If you have a rail, attach long window boxes to your balcony.

Easiest Herbs to Grow and How to Use Them

• Rosemary

Add flavor to poultry, beef, fish, potato dishes, pasta dishes, or pizza dough

• Mint

Add to tea, desserts, grain dishes, salads, pork, lamb, peas, or sauces

• Thyme

Add flavor to beef, pork, lamb, vegetable dishes, lentils, fish, soups, sauces, or egg dishes

• Sage

Add flavor to poultry, poultry stuffing, beef, pork, sauces, bean dishes, or sausage

• Oregano

Add to pizza, sauces, pork, vegetable dishes, fish, or chili

• Tarragon

Use to flavor poultry, seafood, egg dishes, or sauces

• Parsley

Chop and sprinkle onto any dish

• Cilantro

Use in fresh salsa or guacamole

• Chives

Add to egg or potato dishes

• Basil

Use in salads, pesto, sauces, egg dishes, or pasta dishes

Tips for Growing Herbs in Containers

It is great if you have outdoor space to plant herbs.  However, many herbs grow better in containers (especially mint, basil, thyme, parsley, and rosemary).

• Select Hardy Varieties

Choose herbs that you cook with the most frequently and try to find heirloom varieties whenever possible.  If you’re not sure how to get started, the staff at the nursery or gardening department should be able to answer your questions.

• Choose a Sunny Location

Position your pots directly beneath your window to increase sunlight effectiveness.  Don’t forget that pots can be moved around when seasons and light conditions shift.  Remember to rotate your pots occasionally, so that your herbs grow evenly.

• Use a Container with Good Drainage

Choose pots with drains and saucers.  If you only have a sealed pot, place rocks in the bottom of the pot and add some vermiculite to the soil, or use potting soil, to help with drainage.

• Use the Proper Soil

Be sure to purchase potting or container soil rather than bringing in dirt from outside. Potting soil is disease- and weed-free, drains quickly, and will help promote rapid and healthy root growth.

• Water and Fertilize Carefully

Most plants die from too much attention, rather than not enough.  Fertilizer should be added every three to six weeks, depending on whether the plant is indoor or outdoor.  Use a calendar to keep track.  To check for water, put your finger in the soil about two inches deep.  If it is dry, the plant needs water.  Otherwise, don’t water it.

• Harvest Properly

Wait until the plant is mature to harvest for the first time.  Never harvest more than one third of the plant at one time.  Wait for that one third to grow back before you harvest again.  Remove all flowers that appear to ensure the most vibrant flavor.  Herbs will grow quicker and fuller if you prune them correctly.

Many spices are available in both whole and ground forms. Ground spices lose their aroma and flavor more quickly, so it's wise to buy them in small quantities. For best quality, store whole spices at room temperature for 2 to 4 years and ground spices for 2 to 3 years.