The document provides insights into the use of herbs and spices in cooking, including their definitions, benefits in enhancing flavor while reducing fat, sugar, and salt. It outlines tips on flavor combinations, substitutes for spices, and guidelines for measuring and storing herbs and spices effectively. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of proper timing when adding these ingredients during cooking for optimal flavor retention.

1. Know how. Know now.

2. Know how. Know now.
Alice Henneman, MS, RD
Extension Educator
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Extension
in Lancaster County
Download this PowerPoint and a
related handout at:
http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/spiceherb.shtml
2003, updated May 2008, PowerPoint 2003

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“An herb is the friend of
physicians and the
praise of cooks.”
- Charlemagne

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Archeologists
estimate that by
50,000 B.C.
primitive man had
discovered parts
of certain aromatic
plants made food
taste better.
Source: American Spice Trade Association

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“Spice” vs. “Herb”
Spices come from the bark (cinnamon), root (ginger,
onion, garlic), buds (cloves, saffron), seeds (yellow
mustard, poppy, sesame), berry (black pepper), or the
fruit (allspice, paprika) of tropical plants and trees.
Herbs are leaves of low-growing shrubs. Examples
are parsley, chives, marjoram, thyme, basil, caraway,
dill, oregano, rosemary, savory, sage and celery leaves.
These can be used fresh or dried. Dried forms may be
whole, crushed, or ground.
Many dehydrated vegetable seasonings are available.
These include onion, garlic … and shallots.
Seasoning blends are mixtures of spices/herbs.
Source: Ann A. Hertzler, PhD, RD, Herbs and Spices, Virginia Cooperative Extension

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Contents
1.Fat, Sugar and Salt Reduction Tips
2.Flavor and Food Combinations
3.Common Substitutions
4.General Rules for Amounts
5.When to Add Spices and Herbs
6.Storing Spices and Herbs
7.How Long to Keep

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Contents
1.Fat, Sugar and Salt Reduction Tips
2.Flavor and Food Combinations
3.Common Substitutions
4.General Rules for Amounts
5.When to Add Spices and Herbs
6.Storing Spices and Herbs
7.How Long to Keep

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Spices and
herbs can help
retain flavor in
your foods
while cutting
back on fat,
sugar and salt.

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“ … removing a tablespoon of fat
removes about 10 grams of fat and
100 calories — an amount which
could represent a 10 pound weight
loss in a year.
The calories in herbs and spices are
far less than in breadings, batters,
gravies, sauces and fried foods.”
Source: Ann A. Hertzler, PhD, RD, Herbs and Spices,
Virginia Cooperative Extension

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1 tablespoon sugar
= 45 calories
Reduce or eliminate
sugar by using sweet-
tasting spices:
 Allspice
 Anise
 Cardamom
 Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Ginger
• Mace
• Nutmeg

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Source: American Spice
Trade Association
 Black pepper
 Garlic powder
 Curry powder
 Cumin
 Dill seeds
 Basil
 Ginger
 Coriander
 Onion powder
Savory flavors and flavors with “bite,”
are the most effective in replacing the
taste of salt. Examples include:

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Omit the salt when
cooking pasta and
flavor with basil,
oregano, parsley
and pepper or use
an Italian
seasoning blend.

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Use POWDERED
garlic or onion
rather than their
SALT form.
Generally, use half
as much of the
powdered form.

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Check
seasoning
labels to see if
“salt” or
“sodium” are
listed among
the ingredients.

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Fascinating flavor fact:
The reason for
Columbus’ voyage
in 1492 was to
seek a more direct
passage to the
rich spices of the
Orient.

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Contents
1.Fat, Sugar and Salt Reduction Tips
2.Flavor and Food Combinations
3.Common Substitutions
4.General Rules for Amounts
5.When to Add Spices and Herbs
6.Storing Spices and Herbs
7.How Long to Keep

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Experiment with
the following
flavor and food
combinations to
add pizzazz to
your meals.
Source: Flavor and Food Combinations adapted from information provided by the
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

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Beef
 Bay leaf
 Marjoram
 Nutmeg
 Onion
 Pepper
 Sage
 Thyme

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Pork
 Garlic
 Onion
 Sage
 Pepper
 Oregano

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Lamb
 Curry powder
 Garlic
 Rosemary
 Mint

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Poultry
 Ginger
 Marjoram
 Oregano
 Paprika
 Poultry
seasoning
 Rosemary
 Sage
 Tarragon
 Thyme

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Fish
 Curry powder
 Dill
 Dry mustard
 Marjoram
 Paprika
 Pepper

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Carrots
 Cinnamon
 Cloves
 Dill
 Ginger
 Marjoram
 Nutmeg
 Rosemary
 Sage

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Corn
 Cumin
 Curry powder
 Onion
 Paprika
 Parsley

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Green Beans
 Dill
 Curry powder
 Marjoram
 Oregano
 Tarragon
 Thyme

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Greens
 Onion
 Pepper

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Potatoes
 Dill
 Garlic
 Onion
 Paprika
 Parsley
 Sage

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Summer
Squash
 Dill
 Garlic
 Onion
 Paprika
 Parsley
 Sage

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Winter
Squash
 Cinnamon
 Ginger
 Nutmeg
 Onion

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Tomatoes
 Basil
 Bay leaf
 Dill
 Marjoram
 Onion
 Oregano
 Parsley
 Pepper

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Fascinating flavor fact:
In early Rome,
young suitors
wore a sprig of
basil to signal their
marital intentions.
Source: American Spice Trade Association

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Contents
1.Fat, Sugar and Salt Reduction Tips
2.Flavor and Food Combinations
3.Common Substitutions
4.General Rules for Amounts
5.When to Add Spices and Herbs
6.Storing Spices and Herbs
7.How Long to Keep

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When you don’t
have a spice or
herb blend called
for in a recipe, try
the following
combinations as a
substitution.

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For each 1 teaspoon of
apple pie spice,
substitute a
COMBINATION of:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

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For each 1 teaspoon of
pumpkin pie spice,
substitute a
COMBINATION of
these ground spices:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice

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For each 1-1/2 teaspoon
of Italian seasoning, substitute a
COMBINATION of:
 1/4 teaspoon EACH of
crumbled, dried
oregano leaves
marjoram leaves
basil leaves
 1/8 teaspoon rubbed sage

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For each 1 teaspoon
of poultry seasoning,
substitute
a COMBINATION of:
 3/4 teaspoon
ground sage
 1/4 teaspoon
ground thyme

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When
substituting
herbs, you may
be more
successful
substituting
FRESH herbs
for DRIED
herbs, than the
other way
around.

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Fascinating flavor fact:
“Cilantro” refers to
the leaf of the
coriander plant while
“coriander” refers to
a spice made from the
seed of the same
plant. “Cilantro” and
“coriander” are not
interchangeable
in recipes.

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Contents
1.Fat, Sugar and Salt Reduction Tips
2.Flavor and Food Combinations
3.Common Substitutions
4.General Rules for Amounts
5.When to Add Spices and Herbs
6.Storing Spices and Herbs
7.How Long to Keep

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Here are some
guidelines for
how much
spices or
herbs to use.

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If possible, start
with a tested
recipe from a
reliable source.
If creating a
recipe, begin by
trying one or two
spices or herbs.

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The amount to add
varies with the:
 Type of recipe
 Spice or herb
 Personal preference

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Approximate EQUIVALENT
amounts of different forms
of herbs are:
 1 tablespoon
finely cut fresh herbs
 1 teaspoon
crumbled dried herbs
 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
ground dried herbs

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Begin with 1/4 teaspoon of most
ground spices or ground dried herbs
for these amounts; adjust as needed:*
 4 servings
 1 pound of meat
 1 pint (2 cups of soup or sauce)
*Remember: Use more herbs if using
a crumbled dried or a fresh form.
Source: www.spiceadvice.com

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 Start with 1/8
teaspoon for cayenne
pepper and garlic
powder; adjust as
needed.
 Red pepper
intensifies in flavor
during cooking; add
in small increments.

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When doubling a
recipe:
 DO NOT double
spices and herbs.
 Increase amounts
by 1-1/2 times.
 Taste, add more if
needed.

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During the Middle
Ages, ladies
embroidered a
sprig of thyme into
scarves they gave
to their wandering
knights.
Fascinating flavor fact:

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Contents
1.Fat, Sugar and Salt Reduction Tips
2.Flavor and Food Combinations
3.Common Substitutions
4.General Rules for Amounts
5.When to Add Spices and Herbs
6.Storing Spices and Herbs
7.How Long to Keep

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The time during
preparation at
which you add
spices and herbs
influences their
flavor.

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As a general rule, add
FRESH HERBS near
the end of cooking or
just before serving
Prolonged heating
can cause flavor and
aroma losses.

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More delicate fresh herbs
can be added a minute or
two before the end of
cooking or sprinkled on
food before serving.
Examples include:
 Basil
 Chives
 Cilantro
 Dill leaves
• Parsley
• Marjoram
• Mint

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Less delicate fresh
herbs can be added
about the last 20
minutes of cooking.
Examples include:
Dill seeds
Rosemary
Tarragon
Thyme

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For some foods
such as breads,
batters, etc., you
may have to add
fresh herbs at the
beginning of the
cooking process.

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Follow these tips and
techniques for best
taste when adding
DRIED SPICES and HERBS.

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WHOLE dried spices and
herbs (such as whole
allspice and bay leaves):
 Release flavors slower
than crumbled or
ground ones.
 Are ideal for dishes
cooking an hour or
more, such as soups
and stews.

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GROUND dried
spices and herbs:
 Release their
flavor quickly.
 May taste best in
shorter-cooking
recipes or added
nearer the end of
longer-cooking
ones.

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CRUMBLED dried
herbs may differ:
Milder herbs (such
as basil) may flavor
best added toward
end of cooking.
More robust herbs
(such as thyme) can
stand longer cooking
periods.

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Freshly grinding
spices (such as
black pepper
and nutmeg)
provide more
flavor than
buying them
already ground.

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AVOID sprinkling dried
spices and herbs directly
from container into a
steaming pot to prevent
moisture from entering
the container.
Use a DRY spoon to
measure spices and
herbs from a container.

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Secure whole
spices, such as
cloves, in a tea ball
for easy removal at
the end of cooking.

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Warning: Remove
bay leaves at the
end of cooking.
They can be a
choking hazard if
left in foods and can
cause harmful cuts
and scratches in
your throat and
esophagus.

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For UNCOOKED
foods, add both
FRESH and DRIED
spices and herbs
several hours
before serving to
allow flavors to
blend.

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Contents
1.Fat, Sugar and Salt Reduction Tips
2.Flavor and Food Combinations
3.Common Substitutions
4.General Rules for Amounts
5.When to Add Spices and Herbs
6.Storing Spices and Herbs
7.How Long to Keep

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Use the
following
guidelines for
storing your
spices and herbs
to maintain
maximum
quality.

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To prevent flavor and color loss, AVOID:
Moisture
Light
Heat
Air

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Store in tightly
covered
containers.
Store in a dark
place away from
sunlight, such as
inside a cupboard
or drawer.

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AVOID storage
above dishwasher,
microwave, stove,
refrigerator
or near a sink or
heating vent.
If storing in an open spice rack,
store away from heat, light and moisture.

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Refrigerator/freezer storage?
 Refrigerate paprika, chili
powder and red pepper
for best color retention,
especially in summer or
hotter climates.
 Spices and herbs can
get wet if condensation
forms when a container
from a refrigerator or
freezer is left open in a
humid kitchen.

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Contents
1.Fat, Sugar and Salt Reduction Tips
2.Flavor and Food Combinations
3.Common Substitutions
4.General Rules for Amounts
5.When to Add Spices and Herbs
6.Storing Spices and Herbs
7.How Long to Keep

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Here are some guidelines to help you
determine when it’s time to TOSS your
spices and herbs.

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As a general rule,
keep:
1 year: Herbs or
GROUND spices
2 years: WHOLE
spices
Buy a smaller
container until you
determine how fast
you’ll use a particular
spice or herb.

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If a spice or herb
smells strong and
flavorful, it’s
probably still
potent.

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 Check a whole spice ― such as a clove
or cinnamon stick ― by breaking,
crushing or scraping it before smelling it.
 Check an herb or a ground spice by
rubbing a small amount in your
hand. If the aroma is fresh, rich and
immediate, it can still flavor foods

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AVOID
smelling
PEPPER or
CHILI
POWDER as
they can
irritate your
nose.

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“Pepper is small
in quantity and
great in virtue.”
- Plato

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Initial quality influences
shelf life.
Label date of purchase
on container with a
permanent marking pen.

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In conclusion ...
“Spice a dish with
love and it pleases
every palate.”
- Plautus

79. Know how. Know now.
Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture
and Natural Resources at the University of
Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties
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University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension
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nondiscrimination policies of the University of
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Department of Agriculture.