What are herbs & spices?
Herbs and spices encompass a vast array of plant-derived flavoring ingredients that have been fundamental to cooking across every culture throughout human history. Herbs typically refer to the leafy green parts of plants (basil, oregano, parsley, cilantro), while spices are derived from other plant parts including seeds (cumin, mustard), bark (cinnamon), roots (ginger, turmeric), fruits (black pepper, paprika), and flower buds (cloves). These ingredients provide flavor, color, and aroma while contributing minimal calories, and they represent some of the oldest traded commodities in human commerce.
125,111 products in our database contain herbs & spices. 40,722 of them (33%) are Level 4, the most processed of our four levels.
Which foods contain herbs & spices?
Herbs and spices are used across all food categories including sauces, seasonings, marinades, soups, snack foods, baked goods, beverages, processed meats, salad dressings, frozen meals, condiments, ethnic cuisine products, and as standalone spice and seasoning products.
Santa Barbara, Mango Salsa with Peach, Medium
Shoprite, Scrunchy, Toasted Oats Sweetened Oat Cereal, Apple Cinnamon
Apple Cinnamon Sweetened Toasted Oat Cereal
The Original Caesar Dressing
Ketzal for iPhone
Is One Of These In Your Pantry?
Scan it with Ketzal to see your exact product's scores and a less processed swap. Free, no account needed.
Family Recipe Italian Dressing
Margarita & Lime White Corn Tortilla Chips
Spicy Ranch
Italian Reduced Fat Dressing
House Italian Made with Peramesan Cheese
Deli Fresh Chipotle Seasoned Chicken Breast
Campbell's Sauces Pineapple Teriyaki
Apple Cinnamon Sweetened Toasted Oat Cereal, Apple Cinnamon
Jalapeno Pretzel Pieces Flavoured Sourdough Hard Pretzel, Jalapeno
Pepperoni Duo Melted Mozzarella Cheese Layered with Slices and Chunks of Pepperoni Stone Baked Flatbread, Pepperoni
Garlic Bread Loaf, Garlic
Gin Gins, Ginger Caramel Candy
Duncan Hines, Pie Filling & Topping, Apple
Premium Chicken Breast with Rib Meat Chunk in Water
Chipotle Pepper Marinade
Pizza Quick Snack Sauce
Thai Kitchen, Dipping & All-Purpose Sauce, Sweet Red Chili
Cream Soup Powder
B&m, Baked Beans, Maple
Amazing Taste, Steak House Seasoning
Sirloin Philly Steak
Blackberry Patch, Cinnamon Apple Topping, Cinnamon, Apple
Asian Creations, Thai Kitchen, Sweet Red Chili Dipping & All-Purpose Sauce
St. Louis Style Pizza
Seasoning Mix
Garlic Salt with Parsley
Annie's Organic Dijon Mustard
Cascadian Farm Organic Riced Cauliflower Blend with Bell Peppers and Onions
D' Olancho, Sauce, Hot
Fruit Seasoning
Maille, Traditional Dijon Mustard, Hot
Tassos, Pitted Kalamata Greek Olives
Applegate Organics, Organics Uncured Turkey Bacon, Hickory Smoked
Shoprite, Spicy Brown Mustard
Savory Turkey Breakfast Sausage Patties
Quartered & Marinated Hearts Artichokes
Brown Rice Snack Crackers
Sea Snax, Premium Roasted Seaweed Snack
Cento, Chef's Cut Tomatoes with Basil Leaf
Badia, Gourmet Blends
Badia, Gourmet Blends Barbecue Seasoning
365 Everyday Value, Cayenne Pepper
Japanese Sesame Oil
Grace, Caribbean Traditions, Thyme Leaves
Fresh Finds, Cayenne Pepper
Supreme Tradition, Paprika
Terana, Oregano
100% Organic Whole Cloves
Simply Organic, Crushed Red Pepper
Premium Sesame Oil (100% Pure)
Pure Ground Sesame Seed
Roasted Sesame Seeds
Simple Truth Organic, Organic Baby Lettuces Spring Mix
Mama Sita's, Stew Base Mix
Sweet Delicate Hungarian Paprika
Great Value, Organic White Sesame Seeds
Also known as
Herbs & Spices can appear in ingredient lists under several names. If you see any of the following, this is the ingredient family you are looking at:
Function
Herbs and spices provide complex flavor profiles, aromatic qualities, and visual appeal to food products. They allow manufacturers to create distinctive taste identities while reducing reliance on salt, sugar, and fat for flavor. In processed foods, dried herbs and spice blends standardize flavor across production runs and simplify ingredient sourcing compared to fresh alternatives. Spice oleoresins and essential oils provide even more concentrated and consistent flavoring for industrial applications. Some herbs and spices also contribute natural coloring — paprika provides red-orange color, turmeric provides yellow, and saffron provides golden hues.
Sources
Herbs and spices are harvested from cultivated or wild plants and preserved through drying, grinding, or extraction. Most are sun-dried or mechanically dehydrated to reduce moisture content for shelf stability. They may be sold as whole, crushed, or ground forms, or processed into oleoresins and essential oils for industrial food manufacturing. Spice blends combine multiple individual spices and may include additional ingredients like salt, garlic powder, or anticaking agents. The quality and flavor intensity of herbs and spices depend on growing conditions, harvest timing, and processing methods.
Health considerations
Herbs and spices contain various bioactive compounds that are subjects of ongoing nutritional research. At typical culinary usage levels, they are consumed in small quantities and contribute minimal macronutrients. Individual sensitivities to specific spices exist. Mustard is a declared allergen in the EU (though not in the US under FALCPA). Celery seed is also a declared allergen in Europe. Cross-contamination in spice processing facilities is a consideration for allergen-sensitive consumers.
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Regulatory
Herbs and spices are classified as GRAS by the FDA and may be listed individually or collectively as "spices" or "natural flavoring" on ingredient labels, with some exceptions. In the NOVA food classification system, whole herbs and spices are categorized as minimally processed foods and their presence in a product does not indicate ultra-processing. The FDA requires that ingredients serving purposes beyond flavoring (such as coloring from paprika) be identified specifically. Mustard and celery are declared allergens in the EU but not under US FALCPA. Organic herbs and spices must meet USDA National Organic Program standards.