Herbs and Spices

History of spices

- The desire for spices has a significant impact on the history of world exploration, colonization and trade - The search for cinnamon led to the discovery of North America

Spice trade route

-Ancient trade- controlled by arab merchants -to protect their monopoly, spread fantastic stories about the places they were retrieving the spices from (dragons)

Herbs

-Aromatic leaves or seeds of plants from temperate regions

Spice trade

-Black pepper, cinamon and ginger were imported by greeks from india and spice islands through arab traders -Romans sent ships directly from red sea ports -greeks has many local herbs -In the 1200s trade monopoly by arabs and venetians (marco polo)

Mustard family

-Brassicacea -Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, turnip -clears sinuses -seeds of the mustard plant are processed to make mustard -Brassica juncea -pungent taste, used as condiments and medicine, white, brown or mustard -Another member is the horseradish root and wasabi -good antimicrobial and prevents tooth decay, cancer, and asthma

Chilli peppers

-Capsicum species -Fruits of herbaceous plants -native to mexico, central and south america -come in many varieties, sizes and pungency levels (scoville units) -Columbus brought them to spain -Cultivation spread to europe, asia, and africa _Capsacin: o a hot compound found in seeds and placental area o used as painkiller to treat arthritis, headaches o plant has this to protect seeds but birds don't feel heat so they can eat and disperse seeds o plant focusses which animal it wants for dispersal -chillies are a good source of vitamin C

New World Spices

-Chilli peppers, Vanilla, Allspice,

Cinnamon

-Cinnamomum Zeylanicum -inner bark of the cinnamon tree -native to india and sri lanka -closely related to cinnamon cassia which is traded as cinnamon in the U.S -Useed for flavor in baked goods, but also in medicine, perfumes and scents

Essential oils

-Considered a type of secondary compound -compound that the plant makes, but it's not essential or the plant's basic metabolic function -More essential oils are tarpons (C5 H8) -Plants produce essential oils as a protection against herbivores and bacterial and fungal pathogens

Saffron

-Crocus sativus -Comes from the stigmas -Native to the eastern mediterranean countries -an ancient yellow spice, a symbol of beauty -introduced to spain by the arabs (spain has 70% of world production) -The most expensive spice in the world -up to $12,000 per pound -100,000 flowers yields one pound -Pungent flavor gives a delicate taste and color to many french, Spanish, middle Eastern and india cooking (paella, challah)

Cloves

-Eugenia caryophyllus -dried unopened flower buds of small evergreen tree from spice islands -whole or ground -used in desserts, beverages, means and sauces -sometimes mixed with tobacco -clove oil is used in medicines, disinfectants, mouth wash, toothpaste, soap, and perfumes

Why do humans use spices?

-Flavor -Medicinal properties -Food reservation o Onion, garlic, oregano, and allspice are the effective for killing/inhibiting food-borne bacteria o Strong correlation between spice use and climate oo more spices are used in hotter countries, where food spoils quickly

Parsley family

-Leaves or dried seeds -native to the mediterranean -leaves and dried fruits are used for flavor or garnish -parsley, dill, caraway, cilantro -can be recognized by their umbels (flat topped inflorescences) -Health benefits of coriander o also known as cilantro o dainty plant that packs a very powerful aroma and flavor o rich in coriandrol may help against both liver and breast cancer

Lily family

-Lilacae -most herbaceous perennials -Rhisomes, bulbs or corms are used as zesty herbs -Central asia -onion, garlic, leaks, shallots and chives -onion and garlic have been cultivated for culinary and medicinal purposes -volatile compounds are released when cut -Garlic -The organic suffer in garlic inhibits bacteria and fungal growth and the formation of blood clots, and lowers LDL Cholesterol -Allicin is a substance contained in garlic and is effective antibiotic, anti fungal and anti parasitical -garlic may stimulate cancer fighting cells and assist with the amelioration of many other health problems

Antioxidant properties of herbs and spices

-Many herbs in the mint family have the highest antioxidant activity o Oregano has 40 times more antioxidant activity than apples -Spices such as turmeric and ginger also have antioxidant properties that may protect against cancer -Mustards good for cleaning sinuses -Cinnamon is a milk anticoagulant and stimulates insulin activities for type 2 diabetics

Mint Family

-Mentha species -native to the mediterranean -Mint, spearmint, basil, peppermint, thyme, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, sage, -Herbaceuous plants and small shrubs with simple leaves that have oil glands -Leaves are used for flavorings and perfumes in many products -heath benefits of min -Luteolin which may help prevent some types of cancer, and limonene, a powerful anti-cancer agent that may help block development of breast tumors

Age of Exploration

-Monopolies were established by the Portuguese, dutch, British, and french importing spices from the east -Monopolies were gradually broken by wars and smuggling of plants to new areas -New world spices imported to Europe by the Spanish and they never had the importance of the old world spices

Nutmeg and Mace

-Myristica fraggans (nutmeg tree) -Native to the spice islands -the fruit of the tree is a drupe -Outside the pit, a covering called aril is removed and dried to make aromatic mace -The seed inside the pit is the nutmeg -dried and ground and used in baking sweets -both are hallucinogenic if consumed in large amounts

Spices

-Other aromatic plant organs of tropical origin -stems, fruit, seeds, roots, bark

Allspice

-Pimenta dioica -Dried fruits of carribean tree -named allspice because it tastes like a combination of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg

Black Pepper

-Piper nigrum -Fermented and dried better of a pepper vine -Sold as peppercorns or ground which freshly ground tastes better because volatile oils lose flavor after grinding -native to india and east indies -white peppers the same plant -allowed to ripen on the vine -black outer portion removed -white pepper is mild, lacks the pungency of black pepper

Heath benefits of Rosemary

-Rich in carnosol -Help protect against breast cancer by detoxifying chemicals that may initiatie the cancer process -Carnosol may also provide added protection against lung and skin cancer

Herbs

-Usually the aromatic leaves or sometimes seeds of temperate plants -families of herbs

Vanilla

-Vanilla planifolia -fermented and dried fruit of an orchid -native to mexico -called vanilla bean -aztecs used it as flavoring, perfume and medicine -vanillin is the crystalline compound that give the flavor

Essential oils

-Volatile substances that contribute to the essence, flavor, and aroma -Often used instead of whole plant parts -Herbs and spices are used in cooking -Spices also for perfumery, dyeing, medicine and food preservation

Ginger and turmeric

-Zingiber officinale -fresh or dried rhizome of monocot herb -native to tropical asia -spicy, hot, pungent taste -used in baked goods, vegtables, meats, and ginger ale -medicinal properties are that it relieves nausea, morning sickness, and upset stomach -Curcuma Longa-turmeric -dried rhizome -related to ginger -used in curry powder, prepared mustard or yellow dye

Aromatherapy

-healing power -holistic approach to healing using essential oils extracted from plants -oils can be absorbed through nose, lungs or skin and trigger physiological responses -antiseptic, analgestic and anti inflamtory -treatment of cuts, burns and insect bites

Old World Spices

Cinnamon, Black peppers, Cloves, Nutmeg and Mace, Ginger and turmeric, Saffron