Herbs vs Spices: What’s the Difference?

Quick answer: Herbs usually come from the leafy green parts of plants, while spices generally come from seeds, bark, roots, fruits, flowers or other non-leafy parts. Both are used to add aroma and flavor.

Herbs vs Spices: Quick Comparison

The distinction between herbs and spices is mostly about which part of the plant is used. It is a useful rule, although culinary language is not perfectly scientific.

What is an herb?

Herbs are typically leaves or tender green parts. Examples include basil, parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano and rosemary.

What is a spice?

Spices usually come from other plant parts: cumin and coriander are seeds, cinnamon is bark, turmeric is a rhizome and black pepper comes from dried fruit.

Can one plant produce both an herb and a spice?

Yes. Cilantro leaves are used as an herb, while coriander seeds from the same plant are used as a spice.

Fresh vs dried

Herbs can be used fresh or dried. Spices are usually dried before sale, although fresh forms such as ginger and turmeric are common.

Examples

Bottom line

If the flavorful part is mainly a leaf, we usually call it an herb. If it comes from a seed, bark, root, fruit or flower, we usually call it a spice.