The term "herbs" has come into common usage in the United States only in recent years as the
health and fitness craze that began in the late 1960's and has continued to this day. Outside of
individuals who are steeped in the knowledge of the health industry, most people use the word
without knowing its' precise meaning.

Thus to most folks in the United States, "herbs" are plants that can be used as a dietary 
supplement. In other words, herbs are meant to be used in the kitchen as a culinary tool.
People sometimes also mistakenly refer to herbs when, in fact, they mean spices. Or as when 
they use the term "herbs and spices" in a recipe, as an example. They make no real distinction
between the words.

However, the terms are not exactly interchangeable.

But, more on that point later.

In the asian community herbs not only have a culinary usage, but they are used frequently
as nutritional supplements. { for reasons of health... } All of us are familiar with the term
"Chinese herbs" when we refer to aphrodisiacs or some other nutritional supplement with a
strange-sounding name that is supposed to have magical powers useful in treating impotence, 
or to cure some other physical ailment. 

These are both unfortunate stereotypes that are far from the truth. Herbs are not only 
traditionally used in the Asian and South Asian immigrant communities, but also within other 
groups such as the Latins, African, and Caribbean communities. Not to mention the Italians, the 
Spaniards, and the Portuguese, who all love their succulent, flavorful foods. And who use
traditional remedies, as well.

Herbs are used universally and are not the province of any one ethnic community.

But, back to our lesson. Herbs can, in fact, have both a dietary and a medicinal usage. 

Let's start with the kitchen. 

Culinary herbs are usually the non-woody parts  plants. { again leading to the confusion with 
spices... } Common culinary herbs include oregano, mint, parsley, bay leaf, rosemary, and basil. 
All of these are derived from the leafy section of the plant and not the stem or a woody part. 
This coincides with the scientific { botanical } definition of a herb as a plant lacking a woody stem 
and/or is seasonal. { dies back to the ground }

Spices may be derived from the dried section of any part of the plant including the seeds, the 
stem, the root, even the berries!

Nutritional herbs that are used primarily for medicinal purposes may actually include other 
sections of the plant such as the roots or a woody stem. Medicinal herbs are not to be confused
with spices which have a primarily culinary value. Although some medicinal herbs also have
properties that make them useful as aromatics, and as thickeners or flavor enhancers in food
products. But, the most effective { powerful } medicinal herbs have little use in the kitchen.

Examples of common medicinal herbs are ginkgo balboa, hawthorn, saw palmetto, milk thistle, 
and black cohosh.

Yes, the distinction may never be 100%  between herbs [ both medicinal and culinary ] and the 
spices. In fact, understanding this world may be more art than science. But, at least, we hope that 
we have given you a slightly more defined picture of what is meant by the word "herbs" as it 
regards their application as health supplements.

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