How do spices get their flavour?

Find out all about spices and how they make food taste delicious.

Do you like savoury and spicy foods? How about a lasagne D laden with basil and oregano, or a golden curry infused with turmeric, or rice flavoured with saffron? These special ingredients are the secret of flavouring food. Spices come from many different plants and plant parts, including leaves, seeds, bark and plant oils. Their unique flavours are created by substances called phytochemicals - chemicals made by plants. Many of these chemicals also play important roles in nature, such as protecting the plant against pests or helping plants adapt to changes in the environment around them. Plus, they also have the power to communicate powerfully with our taste buds.

The power of plants