Spices and condiments

Introduction

Imagine a food without spices or herbs? It would have a dull, flavorless taste. Spices are very important. They add flavor to the meals we prepare and despite how little, they go a long way. 

Before we delve into their nutritional values let’s look at the meaning of spices, herbs, and condiments with examples.

Spices And Herbs

Spices and herbs are usually interchanged and mixed up. So what are they? Spices and herbs are parts of vegetables and plants that add aroma, taste, and flavor to the meal being prepared. 

Spices and herbs may not be the entire plant. It can be the leaves, part of the stem, flowers, seeds, or roots. Aside from aroma and flavor, some of them have oils in them that are good for the health and body.

Nutrient Value Of Spices

Usually, spices have a very strong effect on a food’s taste, smell, and color. Owing to this, they are used in very small quantities so that they do not overwhelm the meal and the people eating.

Spices are also more than food enhancers. Some of them have certain properties in them that fight certain illnesses and diseases. This is because of the chemical compounds found in them.

Spices are rich in vitamin A, B, and, C, cryptoxanthin, riboflavin, niacin, selenium, magnesium, iron, copper, sodium, potassium, manganese, zinc, folate, and calcium. 

Some of them help to prevent illnesses. Some help to improve health. Some are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Some of them even have a few properties that can assist in the fight against terminal diseases e.g cancer. 

They also help in anti-clotting blood vessels, enhancing easier digestion. Generally, the nutrient value of spices cannot be denied.

Categories Of Spices

Spices are grouped based on how they are gotten from the plant. They are:

• Leaves: these include rosemary, bay leaf, thyme, sage, basil, curry, mint.
• Roots: these include asafetida, coriander, licorice, lovage, parsley, horseradish.
• Seeds: these include nutmeg, coriander, white and black pepper, vanilla, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, dill, nutmeg, paprika, etc.
• Fruits: these include celery, caraway, allspice, fennel, anise

• Stems: 

• Rhizomes: these include ginger, zedoary, chameleon plant, fingerroot, turmeric, galangale, wasabi
• Bark: this includes cinnamon. It is the only one in this category.

Some spices are found in more than one category because they can be gotten from several parts of their plants.

List Of Spices And Their Botanical Names

Here is a list of spices and their botanical names

Condiments

Condiments are substances or preparations that are added to foods after cooking to add to the flavor and taste of the meal. It can be a thick sauce or powder.

The major function of a condiment is to add flavor to the meal. It also adds color to the dish and serves as a garnish.

Nutrient value of condiments

Condiments are not really considered food. However, they are used as garnishes and made from food ingredients. This means that they have nutrients in them.

Condiments are rich in iron, mineral salts, fat, proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, fiber, and phosphorus.

They also have antioxidant properties too. 

List Of Condiments

Here is a list of condiments. These are used commonly even if they are not all popular. They are:

1. Aioli
2. Gravy
3. Anchovy sauce
4. Caramel
5. Maple syrup
6. Cheese
7. Chimichurri
8. Chrain
9. Coleslaw
10. Dip
11. Béarnaise sauce
12. Chutney
13. Mayonnaise
14. Piccalilli
15. Ketchup
16. Cream
17. Marmalade
18. Peanut butter
19. Vinegar
20. Mustard

Differences Between Spices And Condiments

Here are the differences between spices and condiments:

3. Spices are gotten from parts of plants while condiments are made from spices and other ingredients.
4. Spices are added during the preparation of a meal. Condiments are added after the preparation of a meal.
5. Spices can not serve as a garnish but condiments can serve as a garnish or even a side meal.

Conclusion

Spices and condiments are used to enhance and add flavor to foods. Spices are added when preparing the meal. They are gotten from plants. Examples are curry, thyme, sage, cinnamon, etc. Condiments enhance the taste of meals. They are added to dishes that are ready to eat. Examples are mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, etc.