Cinnamon is an ancient spice that predates the recorded history of culinary applications of all spices. As such, it has been dubbed the “world's oldest spice”, which may be a warranted title, knowing that because it was found to be included in Egyptian embalming recipes.
Early history
Cloves were used in Mesopotamia by 1700 BCE. The earliest written records of spices come from ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Indian cultures. The Ebers Papyrus from early Egypt dating from 1550 BCE describes some eight hundred different herbal medicinal remedies and numerous medicinal procedures.
most widely used spice in the world since its widesp. in global commerce.
Spices and herbs such as black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamom have been used by Indians for thousands of years for both culinary and health purposes. Spices indigenous to India (such as cardamom and turmeric) were cultivated as early as the 8th century BC in the gardens of Babylon (2).
A common mix for ground five-spice powder (center) is (clockwise from top left) cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn and cloves.
The most commonly used ones are sugar (which was seen as a spice), black pepper, cinnamon, ginger and saffron. They also used nutmeg, mace and cloves. These were more expensive because they were rarer and were used more scarcely.
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Produced from the stigma of the autumn flowering purple crocus (Crocus sativus), it has at points in history been worth three times the price of gold. Like all rare and valuable commodities, saffron has a history rich with legend.
Curcumin, it's turmeric, but better
The bright yellow-orange color of turmeric comes mainly from pigments known as curcuminoids. The most active and powerful curcuminoid is called curcumin.
The infographic above shows that, surprisingly, cumin is the most popular spice in the world, and coriander (or cilantro) is the most commonly used herb. In Europe and Africa, garlic is the most common among all dishes considered, and—no surprises here—oregano is common in the Mediterranean regions.
Pepper, a very important spice grown in South India was known as black gold in the Roman Empire.
Chiles: Chiles are fruits whose seeds are protected by the pungent, burning chemical capsaicin. They're the most popular spice worldwide, with a consumption rate 20 times greater than that of the second most popular spice, black pepper. There are 25 species of Capsicum, of which only five have been domesticated.
Kochi is known by a lot of nicknames such as God's Own Country and the Queen of the Arabian Sea. It has also been known as the Spice Capital of the world, since ancient times.
Saffron is a spice derived from the plant of saffron crocus. It gives food a golden yellow colour and is the world's most expensive spice.
India is the world's largest spice producer. It is also the largest consumer and exporter of spices. The production of different spices has been growing rapidly over the last few years. Production in 2021-22 stood at 10.88 million tonnes.
It was reintroduced to Spain by the Arabs in the 10th century, and gained esteem in the cuisine of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Saffron is still highly sought after and the most expensive spice in the world.
Black pepper is known as ''King of Spices''. Black pepper is produced from the still-green, unripe drupes of the pepper plant.
Vanilla. The world's second most expensive spice is vanilla. While it originated in Mexico vanilla is famously cultivated in Madagascar and other islands in the Indian Ocean. Of course, it's price doesn't compare to the outlandish cost of saffron but vanilla will set you back a few dollars.
Black pepper is one of the most commonly traded spices in the world and may have quite a few brain-boosting effects. Studies have shown that piperine, the primary component in black pepper, can help improve brain function and lower depression symptoms.
Today the world's three most expensive spices are Saffron, Vanilla and Mahlab. Originating from a flower called Crocus Sativus, the high price of saffron comes from the laborious harvest work of picking the stigmas delicately by hand to prevent damage and leaving them to dry.
1. Saffron. Saffron is derived from the stigmas of the crocus flower and is known for its intense, earthy flavor. It is also the most expensive spice in the world, with a pound of saffron costing thousands of dollars.
"Europe had a much richer variety of food than the Americas. We already had plenty of grains like wheat, rice, millet, rye and barley, so corn did not have that much impact, except to the poor. We also had domesticated animals, which we introduced to the Americas, plus plenty of fruits and vegetables."
Ancient Egypt
Spices classified as coriander, fennel, juniper, cumin, garlic and thyme are named in 1550 BCE Egyptian papyri for their specific health effects.
Food for the wealthy
Cooked dishes were heavily flavoured with valuable spices such as caraway, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger and pepper. Other commonly used ingredients included cane sugar, almonds, and dried fruits such as dates, figs or raisins.