Spices 101: What is a Spice?

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Chef Cinthia Carolina's avatarCinthia Worsey

A spice is an aromatic, edible dried part from plant’s buds, root, bark, stem, leaves or seeds that we find in small bottles in markets. Spices originated in India, Indonesia, and Asia where they were used as medicine remedies to heal different ailments. Turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, ginger and black pepper are a few spices that were used in the ancient world and long ago spices were often more precious than gold… Imagine that!

Now, The question is:  How can spices heal? The answer is phytonutrients.  This nutrient derived from the plant material contains anti-flamatory and powerful antioxidants that control and disarm “free radicals” that damage cells, causing aging and many illnesses.

Can you get this phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables? Unfortunately no, They are only found in spices!  Some of these spices are curcumin found in turmeric, piperine found in peppercorns and anethole found in anise and fennel. Many spices…

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Published by Chef Cinthia Carolina

Cinthia Madrid is a chef, poet, visual artist, and humanitarian educator whose work bridges culinary tradition, cultural storytelling, and social impact. Her culinary journey began in childhood cooking alongside her mother and grandmother, where the kitchen became a place of creativity, heritage, and connection. She trained at the California School of Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu, where she received recognition for excellence in Baking and Pastry. Early in her career, she worked in some of Los Angeles’ most respected kitchens, including L’Orangerie alongside acclaimed chef Ludovic Lefebvre and Bastide under chef Alain Giraud. She later served as a private chef for legendary Hollywood director Joe Pytka and held executive leadership roles including Executive Chef at Morry’s of Naples in Long Beach. Cinthia has extensive experience as a culinary educator and mentor. As Chef Instructor with Open Gate International, she developed innovative culinary programs for vulnerable communities and taught culinary arts in juvenile halls and rehabilitation programs. Her initiatives include the creation of global culinary curriculum such as the “Passport” program and the launch of a self-sustaining restaurant initiative in Moldova. For more than eight years she has traveled internationally teaching culinary skills to survivors of human trafficking and vulnerable youth in India, Russia, Moldova, Uganda, Cambodia, and Mexico, using food education as a pathway toward empowerment and independence. Her work has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, and she is a recipient of the Hispanic Heritage Award from the United States Congress. Beyond the kitchen, Cinthia is also a writer whose essays on food, culture, and social change appear on the Open Gate International blog. She is the author of a poetry collection and continues to explore the intersections of food, travel, and art through her creative practice.

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