Here's the Difference Between Herbs and Spices
Written by - Kaitlynn from MIgardener
Maybe you've never stopped to consider the difference. We tend not to question fairly obvious things in life to begin with. However, now that I've brought it up; do you actually know what makes an herb an herb or what makes a spice a spice?
The answer is simple: Herbs and spices are made up of the dried elements of a plant. The difference between them depends completely on which part of the plant is used. Herbs only ever come from the green and leafy part of the plant, and spices are made up of any other non leafy part!
Here are some examples:
| Herbs | Spices |
| Summer Savory | Cinnamon - bark of the cinnamon tree |
| Fenugreek | Ginger - root |
| Tarragon | Cloves - flower bud |
| Thyme | Saffron - stigmas of a flower |
| Basil | Nutmeg - seed |
| Oregano | Vanilla - undeveloped fruit of the vanilla orchid |
| Parsley | Cumin - seed |
| Rosemary | Cardamom - seed |
| Sage | Tumeric - root |
| Lemon Balm | Paprika - dried and crushed peppers |
| Marjoram | Anise - seed |
| Lemon grass | Lavender - dried flower |
| Hyssop | Pepper corn - dried fruit |
Sometimes one plant can yield both spices and herbs depending on what which part you use. For example, cilantro comes from the leaf of the cilantro plant, whereas the seed is responsible for the spice coriander.
Here are some plants that can be used as both an herb and a spice:
| Caraway | dried fruit = caraway / leaves = fennel |
| Cilantro | seed = coriander / leaves = cilantro |
| Dill | seed = dill seed/ leaves = dill weed |
| Celery | seed = celery seed / celery leaves |
There are so many things to learn when it comes to the food we eat! Even though this is a small detail of the bigger picture, its always good to grow in our understanding of these fun facts. Small, but by no means insignificant things like this can grow our joy for the everyday stuff of life.
What are some of your go-to herbal remedies? Is there a spice you could never live without? Let us know in the comments.
Thank you for taking the time to share this! I had actually wondered about this and appreciate your article.
I did not know that Caraway was fennel seed!
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