Do You Know Your Herbs, Spices & Vegetables?

Believe it or not, it is very common for people to confuse herbs, spices and vegetables. Due to the fact that each of these can used to add flavor  to our dishes, they sometimes get lumped together in one category. Nevertheless, they are three very distinct categories.

Vegetables

These can most commonly be distinguished as any plant whose, flowers, leaves, bulbs, fruit or seeds can be used as food. Most time we  add vegetables to a meal to create good balance and for their nutritional value. In contrast there are some vegetables that are used purely for their deep aromatic flavors, to enhance our meals. These vegetables are most commonly labeled as herbs or spices because of their flavorful properties. For example, onions, garlic and celery to name a few. Unlike what is traditionally considered as a vegetable, these three vegetables especially, would not normally be eaten alone, the way we would eat string beans, broccoli, or carrots and  is therefore perceived as a spice or a herb. In most cultures, they would purely be used to add flavor to our dishes.

Spices versus Herbs

The easiest way to distinguish between the two is to think of herbs as the leaves of a plant and spices as the seed of a plant. For example  rosemary, parsley and thyme, are all leafy and considered to be herbs. Allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg, are all seeds usually ground and categorized as spices.

Spices are a very versatile group because they can be used for general cooking and also baking. Most spices are  first dried and then ground down which makes them easier to use and mix with other ingredients to create different levels of flavor. Spice mixtures are a good example of that. Spice mixtures, are used to quickly season dishes. Some examples of spice mixtures are:

• Curry powder – includes turmeric , coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and red peppers.
• Chili powder-includes ground chillies, cumin, oregano and cayenne.
• Garam-Marsala- includes cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, and pepper.
• Old bay – celery salt, mustard, red and black pepper, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon, and paprika.
• Pumpkin pie spice mix – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.

Herbs are a unique group as well, because in addition to adding flavor to our foods, herbs are also used to infuse flavor into water and oils. Some herbs have also been known to be used for medicinal purposes. Some examples of herbs used for medicinal purposes are:

• Oregano – in some cultures it is used to treat respiratory issues like stuffy nose and cough.
• Sage – is said to improve appetite and treat inflammation of the mouth.
• Peppermint – infused in water is used to treat digestive upset and gas. As an essential oil it is said to ease headaches and migraines.
• Dill – used in folk medicine  by infusing into warm water to treat colic in babies.
• Curly Parsley – used in the treatment of urinary tract infections as well as kidney and bladder stones.

Using fresh herbs, spices, and vegetables, is a great way to add flavor to our dishes without adding processed salts that contain lots of sodium. Using the raw forms of these three cooking agents is also good for creating meals that cater to special dietary needs like those usually associated with health defects such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Check out the table below for some of  the most commonly used herbs, spices and vegetables.

 

Spices	Herbs	Vegetables
allspice	basil	celery
cardamom	bay leaf	chives
cinnamon	cilantro	garlic
cloves	dill	leek
coriander	mint	onion
cumin	oregano	parsnip
ginger	parsley	radish
nutmeg	rosemary	scallion
paprika	sage	shallot
saffron	tarragon	tomato
turmeric	thyme	turnip