A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for the purpose of flavoring. Spices and herbs are good not only for our taste buds but also for our health. They supply calcium, iron, vitamin B, vitamin C, carotene and other antioxidants. For instance fresh parsley has been linked with cancer prevention due to its antioxidant content and spicy food is much more appealing than a vitamin pill. Besides herbs and spices don't have any kilojoules or fact, so you can eat them to your heart's content.


Spices constitute an important group of agricultural commodities which are virtually indispensable in the culinary art. In India, spices are important commercial crops from the point of view of both domestic consumption and export. Besides, huge quantities of spices are also being consumed within the country for flavouring foods and are also used in medicine, pharmaceutical, perfumery, cosmetics and several other industries.

There are over 80 spices grown in different parts of the world and around 50 spices are grown in India. The spices that India can offer in abundant quantities are pepper, ginger, turmeric, chilli, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, fennel, cumin, dill, coriander, cinnamon, ajowan (bishop's weed), cassia, clove, nutmeg and mace.


Some spices also possess strong anti-microbial and antibiotic activities. Many of them possess medicinal properties and have a profound effect on human health, since they effect many functional processes. For instance, spices intensify salivary flow. They cleanse the oral cavity from food adhesion and bacteria, they help to check, infection and caries and protect the mucous membrane. Spices act as a stimulates to the digestive system and help digestion in many ways. Spices possibly activate the adreno-cortical function and fortify resistance and physical capacity. Stroke frequency , and blood pressure can be diminished or augmented by means of spices.