For the Birds Parrot Rescue & Sanctuary 

What’s the difference between Herbs and Spices? Most of us don’t realize the difference between spices and herbs but there are characteristics that set them apart.

 

• Herbs are the leafy, green parts of a plant. Examples would be parsley, cilantro, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and mint.

• Spices are from the other parts of a plant like stems, seeds, bark, or bulbs and they are usually dried and used for seasonings.

 

Cilantro and Fennel are actually both an herb AND a spice because the seeds they produce (coriander and fennel seeds) have their own health benefits. 

 

When you season your chop with herbs and spices you are increasing the nutritional value of the meal because these ingredients are some of the most potent antioxidant rich items around. On a per-gram, fresh weight basis, herbs like oregano actually outrank other fruits and vegetables in terms of antioxidant activity.

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While it's tempting to feed herbs rather than veggies, resist that temptation and use them to enhance rather than replace. Always look up the side effects and warnings of any herb before you decide to use it.

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Here are some of the more common herbs used. Click the images to see the nutritional benefits and cautions.

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Resources:

https://articles.mercola.com/herbs-spices.aspx
https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/healthy-herbs.html

http://abc.herbalgram.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Herbal_Library