Spices

Spices In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish.

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.

Spices are important in both cooking and medicine. They improve the natural flavor of cuisines and can be used to adjust the appearance of food and make it more pleasing in color. Some of them grow wild and are an excellent source of food preservatives, especially in industrially processed foods.