Spice: Difference between revisions

[[Clove]]s were used in [[Wikipedia:Mesopotamia|Mesopotamia]] by 1700 BCE. The ancient Indian [[Wikipedia:Indian epic poetry|epic|Indian epic poetry|epic]] [[Wikipedia:Ramayana|Ramayana]] mentions cloves. The [[:en:Ancient Rome|Romans]] had cloves in the 1st century CE, as [[Wikipedia:Pliny the Elder|Pliny the Elder]] wrote about them. The earliest written records of spices come from ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Indian cultures. The [[Wikipedia:Ebers Papyrus|Ebers Papyrus]] from early Egypt dating from 1550 BCE describes some eight hundred different medicinal remedies and numerous medicinal procedures. Historians believe that [[nutmeg]], which originates from the [[Wikipedia:Banda Islands|Banda Islands]] in [[Wikipedia:Southeast Asia|Southeast Asia]], was introduced to Europe in the 6th century BCE.

Spices were all imported from plantations in Asia and Africa, which made them expensive. From the 8th until the 15th century, the [[Wikipedia:Republic of Venice|Republic of Venice]] held a monopoly on spice trade with the Middle East, using this position to dominate the neighboring Italian [[Wikipedia:maritime republics|maritime republics]] and city-states. The trade made the region rich. It has been estimated that around 1,000 tons of pepper and 1,000 tons of the other common spices were imported into Western Europe each year during the [[Wikipedia:Late Middle Ages|Late Middle Ages]]. The value of these goods was the equivalent of a yearly supply of grain for 1.5 million people. The most exclusive was [[saffron]], used as much for its vivid yellow-red color as for its flavor. Spices that have now fallen into obscurity in European cuisine include [[:en:Aframomum melegueta|grains of paradise]], a relative of [[cardamom]] which mostly replaced pepper in late medieval north French cooking, [[long pepper]], [[nutmeg|mace]], [[spikenard]], [[galangal]] and [[cubeb]].

Spices have been claimed to have health effects during both ancient and current times; for example, in 2017, the [[The Washington Post|''Washington Post'']] said spices put "a natural pharmacy in your kitchen". The supposed health benefits include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and benefits towards certain diseases. A 2019 systematic review looked at studies of 25 spices and concluded that there is not enough evidence yet to support these supposed benefits, and that "further work is needed". The review noted that many studies were conducted by administering capsule or "artificial" forms of the spices, but spices are not normally consumed in this manner, and are normally consumed along other foods. Spices may reduce the need for salt as a flavoring agent in dishes, which has cardiovascular benefits.

[[File:Spices in an Indian market.jpg|thumb|right|Spices and herbs at a shop in [[Goa]], India]]

| — || ''[[World]]'' || 1,995,523 || 2,063,472

|colspan=4 | ''Source: [[FAO|UN Food & Agriculture Organization]]''

The [[International Organization for Standardization]] addresses spices and [[condiment]]s, along with related food additives, as part of the [[International Classification for Standards]] 67.220 series.

The [[Indian Institute of Spices Research]] in [[Kozhikode]], Kerala, is devoted exclusively to conducting research for ten spice crops: black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, [[garcinia]], ginger, nutmeg, paprika, turmeric, and vanilla.

File:Gato negro.jpg|The ''Gato Negro'' café and spice shop ([[Buenos Aires]], Argentina)

File:Taliparamba Market.jpg|A spice shop in [[Taliparamba]], India

File:Taliparamba grocery.jpg|Spices sold in [[Taliparamba]], India

File:Spice seller, Kashgar market.jpg|Spice seller, [[Kashgar]] market

File:Spice Market, Marakech (2242330035).jpg|Spice market, [[Marrakesh]], Morocco

{{portal|Food|Medicine}}

{{Non-timber forest products}}

{{二次利用|date=10 December 2022, at 15:10}}