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Stories

Spices of Life

The condiments in your cupboard are stronger than you think. Read the stories behind some of the world's most powerful spices.

  • Series
A watercolour of ginger root.
Roots of ginger (Zingiber officinale) watercolour. Source: Wellcome Collection. CC BY.
  • Story
Spice of Life: Black pepper to fuel fiery fights and cure haemorrhoids
This common condiment was once very valuable and, until surprisingly recently, used as a versatile medicine.
  • Story
Spicy red chilllies drying in the sun
Spice of Life: Chillies and the trouble with Scoville
How measuring the heat of these peppers can leave you a little lukewarm.
  • Story
Illustration of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (ginger plant)
Spice of Life: Ginger’s role in cures and courtroom battles
This festive season, some people will use ginger to help with hangovers – but it hasn’t always been a friend to the thirsty.
  • Story
Coloured lithograph of cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum verum) flowering and leafy stem with floral sections.
Spice of Life: Getting sexy with cinnamon
Add some flavour to your love life with this spice. It will warm up more than just your buns.
  • Story
Watercolour painting showing a clove branch with large elliptical green leaves and dark purple buds.
Spice of Life: Cloves to mull, mask and numb
Sweet, pungent, warm, woody: cloves smell and taste like Christmas. But there’s much more to this spice than that.

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