How to cook herbs and spices
Information for herbs and spices in our free cooking ingredients collection.
Herbs and spices
Herbs and spices have been added to foods throughout history for preservation and flavor. Although they are plentiful and inexpensive today, herbs, spices, and other flavorings were considered as valuable as gold or jewels for many centuries. Quests for them helped shape human history, influencing explorers to set out for the New World in the 15th century and also leading to the establishment of trade routes between Europe, Asia, and Africa.
If you think about it, it is easy to understand why people long ago placed such an emphasis on flavorings for their food. Easy refrigeration of food has been only a recent development. Before its development, food perished rapidly and thus had a bad taste when eaten. Some food was preserved with large quantities of salt. In addition, the wide variety of foods, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables, that we enjoy today was not available. As a result, the daily diet of people throughout much of history was bland and unexciting. It is no wonder that herbs and spices were valued.
Today, modern technology, agriculture, and transportation systems make our diets full of abundance and variety. Herbs and spices, although no longer worth their weight in gold, nevertheless still play a crucial role in shaping cuisine and adding interest to foods. They may also play a role in health, offering an opportunity to add flavor without adding the health drawbacks of excess fat or salt.
Although many people think herbs and spices are one and the same, they are not.
The definition of herbs has varied throughout the ages. Generally, herbs are now considered to be the aromatic leaves of plants that grow in a variety of climates. The leaves are used fresh, dried, chopped, or crushed to add a subtle taste to foods or oils. Sometimes they are steeped in water for teas and other beverages. Herbs are usually added at the end of the cooking process because long cooking times can erode their flavor.
Spices have many of the same uses as herbs. They are usually grown in tropical areas. Often, they have a more intense flavor and are derived from a wider range of plant parts: the fruit, seed, roots, flower bud, or bark. Spices are usually added at the beginning of the cooking process.
Both herbs and spices can be crushed for nonculinary uses: for medicinal purposes or for use as fragrances in perfumes or lotions.
Nutrition
Herbs generally contain less fat and carbohydrates than spices. Both do contain some nutrients. For example, basil and cloves contain calcium and potassium. The small amounts of herbs and spices used in cooking, however, minimize the nutritional contributions they might make in this way.
Herbs and spices add only a negligible number of calories to the foods to which they are added. As a result, they are an excellent replacement for both fat and salt when it comes to flavoring food. Creative use of herbs and spices can make it far easier to enjoy your meals while maintaining a healthful diet.
How to cook herbs and spices
Fresh herbs and spices deliver the most pleasing flavor. For that reason, many serious cooks buy spices whole (such as the whole seed or stem) and grow their own. In addition, many cooks have their own herb gardens to have fresh herbs on hand. Herbs are both easy to grow and attractive. They are almost always perennial plants, so they come back year after year.
Fortunately, for those without a green thumb, fresh herbs and spices are increasingly available at the supermarket. When buying them, look for products that appear the freshest, those whose appearance and aroma indicate that the time since they were harvested has been minimal. Avoid products that have mold on them or are discolored.
Dried herbs and spices are also widely available. A general rule is that 1/4 teaspoon ground leaves or 1 teaspoon dried leaves should be used for each tablespoon of fresh product.
Storage
Both herbs and spices can lose their potency over time, which is why proper storage is critical. How this is done depends on the type of product purchased.
Whole spice seeds keep longer than ground spices. Both should be kept in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place. Dried herbs should be stored in the same way. Exposure to light and heat can cause leaves to deteriorate. A rule for determining whether the product is still good is to test its aroma. If there is not much aroma, the product probably has lost most of its flavor and should be replaced. Make sure to date each container when you put it in your pantry. A rule of thumb is to keep dried herbs no longer than 6 months. It is ideal to refrigerate dried herbs after 3 months.
Fresh herbs are highly perishable and may last only a few days in the refrigerator. Maximize their shelf life by managing their moisture. They need some to avoid wilting. However, too much can cause them to rot. A solution is to pack fresh herbs in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper, which will help keep the air around the product humid. Pat excess moisture off the leaves with a paper towel before putting the bag in the crisper.
This storage method works for most herbs, but there is a better one for basil, cilantro, sage, mint, parsley, and other leafy herbs. They are best stored like a flower bouquet. Tie the leaves together, stems down, and put them in a container filled with cold water. Store in the refrigerator and change the water every few days. Fresh herbs stored in this manner will keep for about a week.
Medicinal uses of herbs and spices
Both herbs and spices have been used throughout history as medicines. In fact, some of the earliest medical manuscripts highlight the theoretical healing properties of these plants. The best known of these ancient compilations are Inquiry Into Plants and Growth of Plants, written around 320 B.C. by Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher who studied with Aristotle. Another herbal medicine tome, De Materia Medica, written around 60 A.D., includes descriptions of more than 600 herbs. It is said to have influenced medicine for more than 1,500 years.
With the growing interest in alternative medicine, many physicians and scientists have begun studying the therapeutic potential of these plants. In some cases, they have found that some plants or extracts made from them have promise in fighting disease or maintaining health. However, some of the most promising plants, such as saw palmetto for prostate enlargement, typically are not found in kitchens. Nor is it likely that the small amounts of herbs and spices used in cooking deliver any medical benefits.
More study is needed to establish the role of these plants in health. Until research is complete, it is best to avoid relying on them for medical purposes or, at the very least, you should see a qualified medical practitioner before you use them. Using them in place of traditional medicines may have harmful effects. Side effects can result from improperly using just about any so-called natural product. Or, these products may interact dangerously with a medication you are already taking.
One other caution is that regulation of the manufacturing and marketing of herbal supplements in the United States is far less strict than that of prescription medications. There are no guarantees that the herbal supplement contains the amount of active ingredient the label claims. In fact, testing of these products has found wide variation among supplement brands.
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