I.

Introduction

Spices, aromatic flavourings made from parts of plants. The term “spice” is usually applied to the hard parts, such as bark and seeds, of aromatic tropical plants, especially those native to tropical Asia and the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, of Indonesia. However, the term is very imprecise as some spices are made of soft plant tissue or come from the New World tropics and even temperate regions. To some extent the terms “spice” and (culinary) “herb“ are interchangeable. In general, spices are strong-tasting and are used dried, while herbs are milder and tend to be used fresh. With few exceptions, the spices and herbs known today were being used early in human history. The spice trade with the Orient was flourishing well before the advent of Christianity. The discovery of many spices probably pre-dates the earliest civilizations, when human beings were attracted to the aromatic effects produced by what are now called essential oils, which are found in various plant parts. Interestingly, many of the same oils that attract human beings evolved in nature as toxins or repellents against animals; the leaves of the mint plant and the bark of the cinnamon tree, for example, may have evolved as protection against grass-eating ungulates and bark-boring insects.

In addition to their long use in preserving foods and enhancing food flavour, spices and herbs played important, sometimes magical, roles in medicine. Before the advent of industrially prepared medicines, herbal remedies were commonly prescribed and were often effective. In many parts of the world this practice continues.