Over the years the properties and usage of herbs and spices has grown as the knowledge of their abilities have become known. Used as medication for its healing properties in the ancient time.

The herbs have come along way, the more we learn of them the more we find what they are useful for. From the Indian medicine man to the New York cuisine chef herbs and spices are a major part of our daily life. Herbs are a vital part of our lives they not only make our food taste great, but enhance our health as well.

What are herbs? Low growing plants another words, nothing having bark, as like a tree, instead they are the leafy part of plants also flowers.

For cooking the following herbs and spices aide in enhancing flavor, aroma and can help digestion. We use such herbs as parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, dill and celery. Each of these herbs has it's own unique flavor and enhancing qualities depending on how we use them.

Parsley has a simple flavor great aroma and is a wonderful garnish for many food dishes. Spices come from the trees, roots, bark, seed and fruit from tropical plants Some of the Spices we use are cinnamon, ginger, cloves, black pepper and mustard.

Cinnamon is a great kid pleaser on toast with sugar or in applesauce and oatmeal. Herbs and spices can regulate levels of fat, sugar and salt in the diet as well as this they are a great alternative to the calories added by the use of such foods as gravy or dressing.

You can use basil and coriander torn up in a salad a great use of what is sometimes called (coriander) Chinese parsley and it tastes great.

When cooking herbs use care and know the herbs you are using as some take longer to cook to get the full gratification of there taste like bay and some need only be introduced into the dish as you serve it like basil.

Fresh herbs and spices are great but to be honest who has the time, so the next best thing is to use ready to use spices, even the best chefs do. Black pepper is best if used fresh, if you ground it yourself per usage. It holds its flavor and its appeal best appreciated when in a restaurant on a night out on the town. Store bought pepper is ok but if left on the shelf too long it looses its flavor and becomes stale.