Spices have been around for many, many millennia. From times of the ancient past, herbs and spices, among other uses, played an indispensable role in the economy, medicine and politics. The value of spices because of their rarity far surpassed precious metals such as gold and silver. Only royalty and the rich could have afforded them during those early times. Such were the demands that they formed one of the most lucrative trades in the ancient world. The wealth obtained was so considerable that they even built Empires on the abundance of riches these valuable resources brought in. But, unfortunately, they were important enough to be exploited by sharp seafaring merchants and invading countries who would stop at nothing to gain supremacy over it. They fought tooth and nail and bloody battles altering the idyllic lives of indigenous nations of tropical lands, establishing slavery and stripping lands and countries of their valuable resources. Read all about their colourful history.
There's much more to herbs and spices than for culinary usage. These gained recognition for ages immemorial for their numerous uses. Spices enjoyed a unique and valuable place in society for their help in preserving, anointing, treatments and health benefits, cosmetics, culinary, etc.
It not only flavours an otherwise simple dish but also lends its fragrance to the air around you and has the potentials for healing many disorders and infections. But, unfortunately, over the ages, this knowledge has diminished.
Everyone recognizes how to use the basic spices in seasonings, but many people who do not know and unfamiliar about other spices and their different flavours and potentials shy away from their use.
Learn the numerous ways to apply herbs and spices to enhance life's essentials identifying each spice and its benefits to health and the environment. Imagine a world without spices. Spices colour the world with their aromas, taste enhancement and lend their effectiveness to treating and keeping away diseases. The purposes of herbs are for adding flavour to food and are often used in herbal medicines. While spices also have health benefits, they have wider usage.
Spices are more potent in flavour than herbs. Therefore, remember it requires a little to go a long way and will not overpower.
Please read all about it all here and find out which ones are best for each requirement.
When referring to herbs, they are typically the leafy parts of the plant. On the other hand, spices are usually the dried parts of the plant, including flower buds as in cloves, seeds and seed pods as in cardamom and extracted bark as in cinnamon. Learn to identify true cinnamon from cassia cinnamon.
Discover more about the health benefits of herbs and spices and how they vary and what nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants they provide and the diverse uses and value of herbs and spices in culinary, industry, cosmetics, and treatments and how they often reflect in our present everyday life.
