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This list of spices starts with the legal definition: under 21 CFR 101.22, FDA defines a spice as any aromatic vegetable substance in whole, broken or ground form whose significant function in food is seasoning rather than nutritional, and the rule names 35 examples, from allspice to turmeric. University of Illinois Extension draws a kitchen line: herbs are leaves of plants grown in the temperate zone, while spices are roots, bark, buds, berries or fruits of aromatic plants usually grown in the tropics. This guide sorts the types of spices by plant part and compares them per teaspoon with USDA FoodData Central values.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- FDA's spice definition in 21 CFR 101.22 lists 35 examples, and it excludes onions, garlic and celery, which the rule says have traditionally been regarded as foods.
- NDSU Extension says whole spices such as cloves last longer than ground ones.
- Per teaspoon, ground turmeric lists about 1.65 milligrams of iron and chili powder about 77 milligrams of sodium in USDA data, against FDA Daily Values of 18 and 2,300 milligrams.
List of spices named in the FDA labeling rule
The FDA rule at 21 CFR 101.22 gives these examples of spices: allspice, anise, basil, bay leaves, caraway seed, cardamom (spelled cardamon in the rule), celery seed, chervil, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin seed, dill seed, fennel seed, fenugreek, ginger, horseradish, mace, marjoram, mustard flour, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper (black, white and red), rosemary, saffron, sage, savory, star aniseed, tarragon, thyme and turmeric. Our guide to types of mustard covers mustard flour.
- Leafy items on the FDA list: the FDA rule counts basil, chervil, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon and thyme as spices on a label; our guide to types of herbs covers them as kitchen herbs.
- Spices that also color food: under 21 CFR 101.22, paprika, turmeric and saffron, or other spices which are also colors, are declared as spice and coloring unless the label uses their common or usual name.
- What the FDA definition leaves out: onions, garlic and celery, which FDA says have traditionally been regarded as foods; the FDA rule also says garlic and celery powders and powdered or granulated onions are declared by their common or usual name.
Types of spices by plant part
NDSU Extension says spices can be from seeds, stems, leaves, bark, flowers and roots of plants, while herbs are from non-woody plants, and University of Kentucky Extension lists seeds, fruit, roots, bark or other substances from a plant. Coriander sits on both shelves: University of Kentucky Extension says its seeds come from the cilantro plant but have a very different taste (see our guide to coriander).
- Seeds: NDSU Extension names pepper, cardamom, coriander, cumin, dill, mustard and vanilla as spices derived from a seed, and Ohio State University Extension says nutmeg is a seed and that the outer portion of the fruit around it is used to make mace.
- Bark: Ohio State University Extension says the part of the cinnamon tree people use is the inner bark, which curls into sticks as it dries.
- Flower buds: Ohio State University Extension describes cloves as the dried buds of a flower, harvested before they bloom.
- Fruit: Ohio State University Extension describes allspice as the dried, unripe fruit of a tropical tree.
- Roots: Ohio State University Extension says the roots of the ginger plant are used as fresh ginger or as dried and ground ginger.
Single-spice guides: allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, caraway, fennel, fenugreek, paprika, star anise and ginger. Sumac has a guide too, though it has no SR Legacy spice entry.
Whole and ground spices in the kitchen
- Flavor over time: University of Kentucky Extension says that once ground, spices tend to gradually lose their flavor over time, and it suggests grating whole nutmeg right before use.
- Speed: University of Kentucky Extension notes that whole spices take longer to add flavor to a dish while ground spices add flavor much quicker.
- Storage: NDSU Extension says to store spices in a cool, dry and dark place, label them with the date they were opened, and expect whole spices such as cloves to last longer than ground ones.
Single spices per teaspoon in USDA data
USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy lists 23 single dried spices with a teaspoon weight, ranked here by iron. Each percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children 4 and older: 28 grams of dietary fiber, 1,300 milligrams of calcium and 18 milligrams of iron.
| Spice (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Fiber | Calcium | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turmeric, ground (172231) | 1 tsp, 3 g | 9 | 0.7 g (2%) | 5 mg (0%) | 1.65 mg (9%) |
| Cumin seed (170923) | 1 tsp, 2.1 g | 8 | 0.2 g (1%) | 20 mg (2%) | 1.39 mg (8%) |
| Fenugreek seed (171324) | 1 tsp, 3.7 g | 12 | 0.9 g (3%) | 7 mg (1%) | 1.24 mg (7%) |
| Celery seed (170920) | 1 tsp, 2 g | 8 | 0.2 g (1%) | 35 mg (3%) | 0.90 mg (5%) |
| Anise seed (171316) | 1 tsp, 2.1 g | 7 | 0.3 g (1%) | 14 mg (1%) | 0.78 mg (4%) |
| Paprika (171329) | 1 tsp, 2.3 g | 6 | 0.8 g (3%) | 5 mg (0%) | 0.49 mg (3%) |
| Fennel seed (171323) | 1 tsp, 2 g | 7 | 0.8 g (3%) | 24 mg (2%) | 0.37 mg (2%) |
| Ginger, ground (170926) | 1 tsp, 1.8 g | 6 | 0.3 g (1%) | 2 mg (0%) | 0.36 mg (2%) |
| Pepper, white (170933) | 1 tsp, 2.4 g | 7 | 0.6 g (2%) | 6 mg (0%) | 0.34 mg (2%) |
| Dill seed (170925) | 1 tsp, 2.1 g | 6 | 0.4 g (2%) | 32 mg (2%) | 0.34 mg (2%) |
| Caraway seed (170918) | 1 tsp, 2.1 g | 7 | 0.8 g (3%) | 14 mg (1%) | 0.34 mg (2%) |
| Coriander seed (170922) | 1 tsp, 1.8 g | 5 | 0.8 g (3%) | 13 mg (1%) | 0.29 mg (2%) |
| Cardamom (170919) | 1 tsp, 2 g | 6 | 0.6 g (2%) | 8 mg (1%) | 0.28 mg (2%) |
| Poppy seed (171330) | 1 tsp, 2.8 g | 15 | 0.5 g (2%) | 40 mg (3%) | 0.27 mg (2%) |
| Cloves, ground (171321) | 1 tsp, 2.1 g | 6 | 0.7 g (3%) | 13 mg (1%) | 0.25 mg (1%) |
| Mace, ground (170927) | 1 tsp, 1.7 g | 8 | 0.3 g (1%) | 4 mg (0%) | 0.24 mg (1%) |
| Pepper, black (170931) | 1 tsp, 2.3 g | 6 | 0.6 g (2%) | 10 mg (1%) | 0.22 mg (1%) |
| Cinnamon, ground (171320) | 1 tsp, 2.6 g | 6 | 1.4 g (5%) | 26 mg (2%) | 0.22 mg (1%) |
| Mustard seed, ground (170929) | 1 tsp, 2 g | 10 | 0.2 g (1%) | 5 mg (0%) | 0.18 mg (1%) |
| Pepper, red or cayenne (170932) | 1 tsp, 1.8 g | 6 | 0.5 g (2%) | 3 mg (0%) | 0.14 mg (1%) |
| Allspice, ground (171315) | 1 tsp, 1.9 g | 5 | 0.4 g (1%) | 13 mg (1%) | 0.13 mg (1%) |
| Saffron (170934) | 1 tsp, 0.7 g | 2 | 0.0 g (0%) | 1 mg (0%) | 0.08 mg (0%) |
| Nutmeg, ground (171326) | 1 tsp, 2.2 g | 12 | 0.5 g (2%) | 4 mg (0%) | 0.07 mg (0%) |
At teaspoon scale every single spice in the USDA table lists between 2 and 15 calories. Ground turmeric lists about 1.65 milligrams of iron per teaspoon in USDA data and cumin seed about 1.39 milligrams, against the FDA Daily Value of 18 milligrams, while poppy seed lists the most calcium in the table, about 40 milligrams per teaspoon in SR Legacy. Our guides to cayenne pepper, poppy seeds and mustard seeds cover three of these rows, and NDSU Extension calls black pepper the most popular spice.
Spice blends and powders
University of Kentucky Extension notes that chili, garlic and onion powders are commonly found in the spice aisle, although they are not considered spices: garlic and onions are simply dried and ground to produce powders, while chili powder is a spice blend with dried and ground chili peppers as the main ingredient. The table lists the SR Legacy blends and powders per teaspoon, ranked by sodium, with the same FDA Daily Values.
| Blend or powdered seasoning (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Fiber | Sodium | Calcium | Iron | Potassium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chili powder (171319) | 1 tsp, 2.7 g | 8 | 0.9 g (3%) | 77 mg (3%) | 9 mg (1%) | 0.47 mg (3%) | 53 mg (1%) |
| Garlic powder (171325) | 1 tsp, 3.1 g | 10 | 0.3 g (1%) | 2 mg (0%) | 2 mg (0%) | 0.18 mg (1%) | 37 mg (1%) |
| Onion powder (171327) | 1 tsp, 2.4 g | 8 | 0.4 g (1%) | 2 mg (0%) | 9 mg (1%) | 0.09 mg (1%) | 24 mg (1%) |
| Curry powder (170924) | 1 tsp, 2 g | 6 | 1.1 g (4%) | 1 mg (0%) | 10 mg (1%) | 0.38 mg (2%) | 23 mg (0%) |
| Pumpkin pie spice (171332) | 1 tsp, 1.7 g | 6 | 0.3 g (1%) | 1 mg (0%) | 12 mg (1%) | 0.34 mg (2%) | 11 mg (0%) |
| Poultry seasoning (171331) | 1 tsp, 1.5 g | 5 | 0.2 g (1%) | 0 mg (0%) | 15 mg (1%) | 0.53 mg (3%) | 10 mg (0%) |
Chili powder lists about 77 milligrams of sodium per teaspoon in USDA data, the only row in this table above 2 milligrams, against an FDA Daily Value of 2,300 milligrams. Packaged blends vary with their recipes, and some include salt, so the Nutrition Facts label, which FDA requires, is the figure for a given jar; our guides to salt substitutes and low sodium foods cover sodium on its own. Our guides to garlic and onions cover two of the powders’ sources.
Basil sits on both shelves: FDA lists it as a spice, and extension sources list it as a kitchen herb. Our guide to types of basil covers the main kinds, with USDA values for the fresh and dried leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does FDA define a spice?
Under 21 CFR 101.22, FDA defines a spice as any aromatic vegetable substance in whole, broken or ground form whose significant function in food is seasoning rather than nutritional, and the rule lists 35 examples.
What is the difference between herbs and spices?
University of Illinois Extension describes herbs as leaves of plants grown in the temperate zone and spices as roots, bark, buds, berries or fruits of aromatic plants usually grown in the tropics; FDA’s label rule still counts herbs such as oregano and thyme as spices.
Are garlic powder and onion powder spices?
Not under the FDA definition, which excludes onions, garlic and celery as foods; University of Kentucky Extension also says garlic and onion powders are not considered spices.
Do whole spices last longer than ground spices?
NDSU Extension says whole spices such as cloves last longer than ground spices, and University of Kentucky Extension says ground spices gradually lose their flavor over time.
Which spice lists the most iron per teaspoon in USDA data?
Ground turmeric lists about 1.65 milligrams per teaspoon in USDA SR Legacy, followed by cumin seed at about 1.39 milligrams, against an FDA Daily Value of 18 milligrams.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Types of Basil: Genovese, Thai, Lemon, Cinnamon and Purple Groups, Types of Herbs: Culinary Herbs by Plant Family, Fresh and Dried, Cloves: Spice Benefits, Nutrition and Clove Oil Safety, Allspice: What Is Allspice, Allspice Nutrition and an Allspice Substitute.