Spices are more than just a food item. They are part of our culture, molding our eating habits and enriching the language we speak. The history of world wouldn't be the same had there not been a craving for spices of the East by the western maritime nations.

What are spices? These are strongly flavored or aromatic substances of vegetable origin such as roots, barks, buds, seeds, berries and other fruits that are obtained from tropical plants. They acquire their characteristic aromas from volatile constituents in the plant materials known as the essential oils.

Spices add flavor to food. They are mixed with vegetables, fruits and meat preparations. They are excellent preservatives, flavoring agents and have nutritional values.

From ancient times, spices were used for embalming, for body ointments and anointing oils and for fumigation of homes.