Herbs and Spice: The History and the Importance of Them Both

The matter of herbs and spice is one of great importance, and one that should be taken seriously into consideration by all; herbs and spice alike have an incredible history in the world in general, and as well, they are both incredibly important not only to cooking, which is what most people automatically think of, but as well, for many other uses.

The History of Herbs and Spice

Learning about the actual history of herbs and spice is incredibly important, mainly because if you understand about the history of something such as herbs and spice, then you will be able to better understand the actual importance of them in today’s world; it is not hard either to learn about this history, and this is what will be discussed here.

The history of herbs and spices truly is a history which truly and utterly parallels that of the actual history of mankind altogether, and this actually goes back to the days before recorded history; as well, throughout the earliest history, the use of spices and herbs were used in religious rituals and medical treatments, and this was widespread in countries all over the world. They were and still are considered as being one of the best discoveries of all.

In fact, even the ancient Egyptians considered such substances as cassia, cinnamon, anise, marjoram, and others as being essential for the embalming and preparation in regards to the burial of the worthy dead, and furthermore, this belief in the magic of spices and herbs was truly reinforced by that of the discovery that some of them actually caused hallucinations.

It was the Arab traders as well who actually first introduced spices to Europe, and who also improvised fantastic myths in regards to the dangers that were involved in collecting them, so that they could make money by getting them for other people because no one else wanted to ‘risk’ it.

Then it was the Greeks who were actually the first to use spices as food additives, and during the Middle Ages, the diet of the typical European was extremely bland, and so this introduction of flavor was enjoyed the world over; so the use of spices was not truly critical, and this was not only to prevent the food from spoiling, but also because people just simply wanted their food to taste better overall. Basically, the introduction of herbs and spices was a fantastic discovery in general.