Spices of India

Since ancient times, India has been the land of spices. Indigenous spices and herbs have been cultivated and traded for thousands of years. Spices such as cardamom, mustard seeds, ginger, black pepper, turmeric, cloves and cinnamon have been traditionally used in many ancient herbal medicine for their health benefits and have been critical component of Ayurvedic medicines for many centuries. Spices, often categorized as food adjuncts, are commonly used in Indian cuisine and other Global cuisines for their flavor and aroma. Even though they have low nutritional value, they have certain essential oils and stimulate appetite. The majority of Spices originated in the Asian tropics and were among the first objects of commerce between India and rest of the world. India is currently the largest exporter of spices across the globe, accounting for more than 40% of global spice exports. Major spices grown in India are Black Pepper, Cardamon (green and black), Ginger, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Chillies, Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds and some minor spices like Fenugreek seeds, Fennel seeds, Tamarind, Stone Flower, Black Salt, Bay Leaf, Saffron, Ajwain (Carom seeds), Siah Zeera (Caraway seeds), Nigella seeds, among others. The major spice growing region of India are the states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, and Rajasthan.