Spices vs. Herbs: What's the Difference?

Spices and herbs are common in most foods around the world today. Both are used to flavor foods and some for medicinal purposes. Herbs and spices have both been prominent throughout human history. In earlier times, herbs and spices were considered luxuries and only available for the use of the wealthy. Herbs and spices were also traded frequently between nations in medieval times. Many people do not 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 essential difference between an herb and a spice is where it is obtained from on a plant. Herbs usually come from the leafy 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 some other vegetative substance. Spices are not necessarily as fresh as some herbs can be. Herbs can be found many places around the world, while spices are more commonly found in the Far East and tropical countries. Herbs are considered to have a few more uses than spices. For instance, herbs have been used more frequently than spices in the medical field. Also, herbs can and have been used to augment cosmetics and preserve foods.

Some argue that there is no distinction between herbs and spices, considering both have similar uses. However, a botanical definition reveals that an herb is a plant that doesn't produce a woody stem. It is common knowledge that in certain areas of the United States, a dried herb is considered to be a spice. This leads to more confusion because if a spice is simply an herb, then there cannot be a difference between the two. However, believing this is ignoring the fact that many herbs tend to be leafy green 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 important roles throughout history. The Portuguese navigator, Vasco Da Gama, sailed to India in search of spices. Even Christopher Columbus described the types of spices available in the "new world" to investors after he landed. Herbs have been used throughout history for medicinal purposes. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), herbology (the study of herbs for medical purposes) has been used for thousands of years.

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

Sam Herbert recommends the Monterey Bay Spice Company for bulk herbs.

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Herbs & Spices for Cardiovascular Health

Author: Elizabeth Walker, CHT, RH
Improving our diets and moving our bodies more will improve our cardiovascular health – this we know. We also know that herbs can help, and frequently see advertising for the latest exotic herb imported from somewhere in the world that’s going to help us. But what about those herbs and spices that we already see almost every day, that are part of many people’s diet; or that grow here in North America, perhaps right in your own garden?

Many people already cook with ginger, which is a wonderful healthy addition to the diet, but as a medicine has many benefits for increasing your cardiovascular health. It decreases cholesterol both in the blood and in the liver. [1] It improves circulation, and is a wonderful anti-inflammatory. It can even mitigate the effect of fats in the diet, including significantly reducing platelet aggregation. [2] Ginger aids digestion, improving absorption of the building blocks that your body needs for energy and repair. Aside from the usual uses in food, fresh ginger can be chopped and used to make a tasty tea.

Garlic is another useful culinary ingredient. Many people use it to help lower their cholesterol and their blood pressure, relaxing the vascular smooth muscle tissue. It also acts to promote formation of new blood vessels, is an anti-inflammatory, and an anti-oxidant. [3]

Dandelions are nothing more than a weed for many people, but as a medicine (and in the diet) it is incredibly useful. The leaves of this common herb are diuretic, extracts of which are comparable in effect to furosemide (Lasix), yet because they are so rich in potassium they don’t deplete the body the way conventional diuretics do. The roots are less diuretic than the leaves, but they are great for the liver, increasing the flow of bile, which again can benefit cholesterol levels. Dandelions are also rich sources of vitamins and minerals including beta carotene, provitamin A carotenoids, chlorophyll, vitamin C, vitamin D, a complex of B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc. [4]

Hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha), which can be grown in parts of North America, and some varieties even grow wild, is an incredibly useful herbal medicine. Hawthorn has significant antioxidant activity, being rich in flavonoids and in particular OPCs (oligomeric proanthocyanidins), with the leaves and flowers being the most active. It stabilizes collagen, which may explain its ability to aid in reducing blood pressure, improving circulation, and improving heart rate. Hawthorn even reduces the accumulation of cholesterol in the liver. [5]

Green tea has been increasing in popularity for its medicinal benefits, and for good reason. It helps with cardiovascular health, preventing myocardial infarction, lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, and protecting against coronary artery disease. High doses are needed, and therefore these beneficial effects require five or more cups of green tea per day. [6]

These herbs and spices are often so familiar to us that we overlook them, reaching instead for more expensive and less common imports, but they should be remembered. They have so much to offer in protecting and improving our health.


-- Elizabeth Walker CHT, RH

As the Clinical Herbal Therapist at Amber Leaf Wellness, Elizabeth helps people who are frustrated and disillusioned by their conventional health care, and are seeking fewer side effects, fewer drugs, and want natural and effective options that work even in chronic health conditions. To learn more about making Amber Leaf Wellness part of your health care team go to www.amberleafwellness.ca
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[1] J. Nutr. 130: 1124-1131, 2000
[2] Professional Review No 53 Aug 1996.
[3] E-Monitor No. 21 May 2008
[4] Alt Med Rev Vol 4, No. 2, 1999; pg 112-114
[5] Alt Med Rev. Vol 3, No. 2, 1998. Pg 138-139
[6] A Phytotherapist’s Perspective. No. 88, Nov 2005

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