Natural Bulk Spices

• Natural bulk spices can be purchased at health food stores. Yagi Studio/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Spices can be added to food to give flavor and have been used before history was recorded. Three thousand years ago, Arabs brought spices from Asia to Europe on camel caravans across the desert. Spices were prized for their medicinal properties. Some were used for religious ceremonies. Today, bulk spices can be purchased online and at health food stores.

Cardamon

• Originally from India, cardamon is known for its camphor-like scent. The spice, a popular and valuable import during the Middle Ages, can be used as a perfume and breath freshener. Homeopathic uses of cardamon include digestive aid and cold remedy. Cardamon is commonly found in Indian and Persian cuisine.

Chinese Five Spice Powder

• Chinese five spice powder contains cloves, cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise and black pepper. Traditionally used in Chinese cooking, the spice blend can be used for roasting meats such as chicken and duck. Chinese five spice powder can be identified by its dark golden color.

Cinnamon

• Cinnamon, processed from the inner bark of trees in the Cinnamomum family, has a shelf life of 12 months. Pale brown in color, the spice has a fragrant scent and a pleasing, sweet taste. The Spice Depot recommends storing cinnamon in a cool, dry area away from direct sunlight.

Galangal

• Galangal is the root of Alpinia galanga, a perennial from Indonesia. Galangal, light to medium brown in color, is a pungent spice. Stores that sell galangal as a bulk bin item sterilize the spice by steaming to retain its freshness.

Saffron

• The yellow color in dishes such as bouillabaisse and paella is derived from saffron. Originally from the Mediterranean region, the saffron plant's triple stigma is picked for spice and sometimes used as a natural dye. Saffron commands a high price because it must be handpicked.