Spice facts for kids
A spice is a special ingredient that makes food taste amazing! It's often used to add a new or stronger flavor to what you're eating. Spices can turn a plain meal into something exciting and delicious.
Some common examples of spices are cinnamon, fenugreek, and nutmeg. Many people around the world, like in India, use a lot of spices such as turmeric in their cooking.
Spices are not just for food! They are also used in other interesting ways. For example, they can be found in medicine, special religious ceremonies, cosmetics, and even in making perfume.
Contents
What Are Spices?
Spices come from different parts of plants. They can be dried seeds, fruits, roots, bark, or even flowers. People have used spices for thousands of years to make their food more flavorful and sometimes to help preserve it.
How Spices Add Flavor
Spices contain natural chemicals that give them their unique smells and tastes. When you add a spice to food, these chemicals mix in, changing the overall flavor. This is why a pinch of chili powder can make a dish spicy, or a sprinkle of cinnamon can make a dessert sweet and warm.
Where Do Spices Come From?
Many spices originally came from warm, tropical parts of the world, like Asia, Africa, and South America. Traders would travel long distances to bring these valuable spices to other countries. This trade was very important in history and even led to new exploration and discoveries.
Famous Spice Routes
Long ago, there were special "spice routes" that traders used. These routes were like ancient highways for moving spices from places like India and Indonesia to Europe. Spices were so valuable that they were sometimes traded like gold!
Images for kids
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"The Mullus" harvesting pepper. Illustration from a French edition of The Travels of Marco Polo.
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Chili powder, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, cumin seeds
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A plate of Indian herbs and spices.
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A shelf of common spices for a home kitchen in Canada or the United States
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Pepper mill
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The Gato Negro café and spice shop (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
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A spice shop selling a variety of spices in Iran
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Night spice shop in Casablanca, Morocco.
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A spice shop in Taliparamba, India
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Spices sold in Taliparamba, India
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Spice seller, Kashgar market
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See also
In Spanish: Especia para niños
