Why You Should be Buying Spice Blends Instead

Why You Should be Buying Spice Blends Instead

 

Many dishes call for a multitude of spices to create the best flavor for the meal, but with dozens of different specialty spices in the grocery store, it is inconvenient to buy six or seven separate spices for a single dish. Most of these will sit on your shelf unused, waiting for the next time a dish calls for a unique spice.  A traditional recipe for curry can call for up to 20 different spices and herbs like cardamom, sesame seeds, saffron, fennel, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, chilies, cloves, and more. To save their wallets and shelf space, professionals and casual chefs are turning to seasoning blends because of their convenience. 

Ease 

Buying custom spice blends can be more efficient and cost-effective than buying numerous individual spices. Another advantage to using seasoning blends is that you can simply add the mix to your dish rather than measuring out each spice separately. The blends are also specially curated for a specific dish, guaranteeing the best flavor profile for what you’re making. “Spice blends are a good way to pack flavor into dishes — especially when you are short on time,” says Leah Cohen, chef, restaurant owner, judge on Great American Recipe and former Top Chef contestant. Additionally, these blends can be tailored to your specific needs like dietary restrictions, restrictions or allergies. 

Health

Many cheaply made store-bought spices and seasoning blends use harmful additives to increase flavor and shelf life. A lot of these are filled with sugar, sodium and unhealthy refined oils. For example, chili powder seasoning often contains a high amount of sodium, which can raise your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease over time. These blends are made haphazardly as brands are more focused on profit than the integrity of the flavor and ingredients. Natural Moose Spices use only the highest quality ingredients for intense flavor without the additives that other brands use. 

 Whether you crave a rich Indian madras curry flavor, a fish seasoning with depth, or a savory Virginia steak rub, spice blends help you achieve achieve fine-dining flavor in just one bottle.

 

 

Top 10 Herbs & Spice Statistics for 2021 in the United States

Top 10 Herbs & Spice Statistics for 2021 in the United States

Herbs and spices are incredibly popular due to their ease of incorporating them in any dish or cooking method to simplify the process. Herbs and spices can be used at home to quickly prepare a delicious dish, but they can also help restaurants and small food shops perfectly season their menu items. So what does the herbs and spice market look like in the United States?



1. Herbs are made from a plant’s leaves while spices are made from other parts of the plant including the roots, seeds, bark, and buds.


2. Herbs and spices have grown due to more Americans cooking global cuisine at home,
such as Asian, Chinese, Indian, and Thai cuisine.


3. Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world. One small bowl of saffron can
cost upwards of $400. Vanilla is the second most expensive spice.


4. Turmeric powder has been found to help with various Alzheimer’s symptoms, at times
better than Alzheimer’s drugs.


5. Certain genes in humans will cause case the coriander herb to taste like soap.


6. Peppermint can help alleviate any nausea or upset stomachs caused by overeating.


7. Allspice is not a blend of many spices, it is a type of berry.


8. India makes up 75% of the global spice production


9. Fresh vanilla beans are quite bland with no aroma. It must be cured through an extensive process to release the distinct aroma and flavor we know it has.


10. Peppercorn is the single most common spice, hence its name “King of Spice”, however
paprika has gained an enormous amount of popularity all over the world.