Product knowledge
What's the Difference Between Herbs and Spices?
Herbs come from the leafy, green parts of a plant — mint, sage, thyme, marjoram — while spices come from every other part: seeds (cumin, coriander), bark (cinnamon), root (ginger, turmeric), buds (clove) or dried fruit (sumac, paprika). That's the whole distinction: it's about which part of the plant is used, not about flavour strength, geographic origin, or how a blend is applied in cooking.
Herbs are generally more delicate and shorter-lived once dried, while spices — being seeds, bark and roots — tend to hold their flavour and aroma in storage for considerably longer, which is part of why the two categories are often stocked, priced and rotated differently in a kitchen or a shop.
Leaf vs Seed, Bark and Root: The Real Definition
- Herbs — leafy parts: mint, sage, marjoram, rosemary, bay leaf
- Spices from seeds: cumin, coriander, fennel, black pepper
- Spices from bark: cinnamon
- Spices from root or rhizome: ginger, turmeric, galangal (kolonjan)
- Spices from flower buds: clove
- Spices from dried fruit: sumac, paprika, allspice
Why Herbs Fade Faster Than Spices in Storage
Leaves have a thinner structure and a higher concentration of volatile essential oils sitting close to the surface, so their aroma escapes into the air more readily once dried — a jar of dried sage or mint noticeably mellows over months. Seeds, bark and roots are denser and protect their essential oils more effectively, which is why whole spices like cinnamon sticks or whole cardamom pods hold their strength for considerably longer than a dried herb kept on the same shelf.
Blends That Mix Both
Most finished spice blends actually combine herb and spice elements even though each individual ingredient sits cleanly on one side of the definition — za'atar mixes dried thyme (a herb) with sumac and sesame (spices and a seed); baharat mixes cinnamon and clove (spices) with, in some versions, a herbal note. The herb-versus-spice line blurs in a finished blend even though it stays perfectly clear for any single raw ingredient going into it.
Why the Distinction Matters for Buyers
Beyond trivia, the herb-versus-spice split has practical consequences for how a wholesale buyer plans stock. Herbs, being more fragile once dried, generally suit smaller, more frequent purchase cycles so the jar on a shelf or in a kitchen doesn't sit half-used and fading for months. Spices, being more storage-stable, can reasonably be bought in larger formats and held longer without the same flavour drop-off — which is part of why a spice program and a dried-herb program often get planned on different reorder rhythms even when both are shelf-stable, dry pantry goods bought from the same supplier.
Related questions
Is sumac a herb or a spice?
A spice — it's a dried, ground berry (a fruit), not a leaf, so it falls firmly on the spice side of the definition despite often being grouped with herby, tangy flavours.
Is mint a herb or a spice?
A herb — it's the plant's leaf that's used, whether fresh or dried, which is exactly the leafy-part definition that separates herbs from spices.
Do herbs and spices need different storage?
The core principles are the same — cool, dark, airtight — but since herbs lose potency faster, buying them in smaller quantities more often keeps flavour more consistent than letting a large jar sit half-used for a year, which spices can generally tolerate better.
Is ginger a herb or a spice?
A spice — fresh or dried, it's the plant's underground rhizome (root) that's used, which places it firmly on the spice side of the definition alongside turmeric and galangal, even though ginger is often shelved near fresh herbs at a grocer.