Spices vs Herbs: What's the Difference?

Spices vs Herbs: What's the Difference?

Spices and herbs are now common in most foods in the world. Both are used to flavor foods and some are used for medicinal purposes. Herbs and spices have been of outstanding importance throughout human history. In earlier times, herbs and spices were considered a luxury and were only available to the rich. Herbs and spices were also commonly traded between nations in the Middle Ages. Many people don't know the difference between an herb and a spice. There are many similarities between the two, and some of the differences are very subtle, but they are still valid.

The main difference between an herb and a spice is where it is extracted from on a plant. Herbs usually come from the leaf part of a plant and are usually dried. However, some herbs can be used fresh. Spices can be obtained from seeds, fruits, roots, bark, or other vegetative substance. Spices are not necessarily as fresh as some herbs can be. Herbs can be found in many places around the world, while spices are more common in the Far East and tropical countries. Herbs have a few more uses than spices. For example, herbs were used more frequently than spices in the medical field. Herbs can and have also been used to enhance cosmetics and preserve foods.

Some argue that there is no difference between herbs and spices, considering that both have similar uses. However, a botanical definition shows that an herb is a plant that does not produce a woody stem. It is common knowledge that in certain areas of the United States a dried herb is considered a spice. This leads to more confusion because if a spice is simply an herb, there can be no difference between the two. However, believing this ignores the fact that many herbs tend to be green leafy substances and spices are found in plants that are tropical in nature.

Because herbs and spices have so many uses and are great food flavorings, they have played an important role throughout history. The Portuguese navigator Vasco Da Gama sailed to India in search of spices. Even Christopher Columbus described the types of spices available to investors after he landed in the “new world.” Herbs have been used for medicinal purposes throughout history. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has used herbalism (the study of herbs for medicinal purposes) for thousands of years.

The debate between herbs and spices continues. Some say that there is no difference while others claim that both are completely different. Most learned scholars will say that the difference between an herb and a spice is where on the plant the herb or spice is obtained and where that specific plant can be found.