Category
Spices & herbs
Dried spices and herb blends, from black pepper and paprika to cinnamon and vanilla.
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BasilBasil is a dried herb leaf: vegan, gluten-free, keto, and one of the safest ingredients in the cupboard. Drying concentrates estragole, a compound EFSA has assessed closely, so a daily spoonful is not the same as a sprig in a sauce.Generally safeBay leafBay leaf is a dried herb that is safe at cooking amounts and fits every diet, including gluten-free and keto. The one thing to know is that the leaf itself is not edible, so pull the whole leaf out before serving the dish.Generally safeBlack pepperBlack pepper is a dried fruit and a genuinely powerful ingredient, because piperine blocks several of the enzymes that metabolize drugs. It is safe in ordinary amounts, and the interaction with medication is the thing worth knowing about.Generally safeCardamomCardamom is a seed pod used as a spice, and at cooking amounts it suits everyone, including gluten-free and keto eaters. Buy green cardamom for baking and chai, and black cardamom for the smoky note of South Asian curries.Generally safeChili powderChili powder is a ground blend of dried chillies and spices, safe in ordinary amounts and free of gluten, animal products and carbs. What matters is which one you buy: a cayenne-based American blend is several times hotter than a single ground ancho.Generally safeCinnamonCinnamon is tree bark, and almost all of it sold as cinnamon is cassia rather than true cinnamon. It is safe in cooking amounts, but cassia carries much more coumarin than the Ceylon kind, and the EU sets limits for a reason.Generally safeCuminCumin is a dried seed and about as harmless as an ingredient gets. It is vegan, gluten-free and keto, and it is one of the few spices whose flavor gets stronger, not weaker, when it is toasted before it is ground.Generally safeGingerGinger is a dried root, and it is safe in every amount you would put in a curry. It is vegan, gluten-free and keto, and the one thing worth knowing is that the fresh root and the dried powder do not behave the same way.Generally safeNutmegNutmeg is a ground seed and one of the safest spices in the cupboard: a pinch in eggnog suits every diet. The only caution is volume, because the oils that give it a warm smell can upset the nervous system in a large dose.Generally safeOreganoOregano is a dried herb leaf and about as safe as a pantry item gets. It is vegan, gluten-free and keto, and it is worth knowing that the Greek herb and the Mexican one sold under the same name are different plants with different strengths.Generally safePaprikaPaprika is a dried and ground sweet pepper, and it is a coloring as much as a seasoning. It is safe, vegan and gluten-free, but it belongs to the nightshade family, which matters for a small number of people with a pepper allergy.Generally safeSaffronSaffron is the hand-picked stigma of the autumn crocus, and at cooking amounts it is safe, vegan and gluten-free. It is the most costly spice by weight, so a small pinch of strands is the right measure: about 0.1 grams for a dish serving four.Generally safeThymeThyme is a dried herb leaf: vegan, gluten-free, keto, and safe in the amounts cooking uses. It is also one of the few herbs worth counting for iron, so the nutrition side is more interesting than the safety side.Generally safeTurmericTurmeric is a dried and ground root, and it is one of the safest ingredients in the pantry: vegan, gluten-free and keto, without exception. The catch is that curcumin is poorly absorbed, so a spoonful of powder is not the same thing as a capsule.Generally safeVanilla extractVanilla extract is the flavor taken from orchid pods, and it is safe in any normal amount. The two things worth checking are whether it was made with alcohol, and whether what is on the label is extract or the cheaper vanilla essence.Generally safe