
[Now available to purchase as herb/spice jar labels here!]
It’s often stated that cooking is much like chemistry, or vice versa. I thought it’d be fun to take that a little further, and look at the major organic compounds present in various different herbs and spices that are frequently used in cooking, so that’s what this poster tries to do. Obviously, each herb or spice owes its precise flavour to the complex mix of organic compounds it is composed of, rather than one simple compound that can be isolated – however, some compounds contribute more than others, and it is these that I’ve tried to focus on here.
The majority of the compounds I’ve selected have been chosen because they are the major compound present in that particular herb or spice. In a select few cases, however, I’ve selected one that isn’t the major compound; in these cases, this is because the compound chosen is a major contributor to either the aroma, flavour or colour of the spice in question. I’ve tried to provide a brief overview for each spice in the text below.
Basil
Estragole is an isomer of anethole, the compound found in anise. Basil oil contains a large quantity of estragole, along with the compound linalool. It is also found in herbal medicinal products.
Bay Leaves
1,8-cineole is the major constituent, a compound also found in cardamoms. Its common name is eucalyptol, the major compound found in eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptol is an ingredient added to cigarettes and is also found in many brands of mouthwash.
Caraway
Carvone, the major compound in caraway, actually has two mirror image isomers, one of which smells like caraway, the other of which smells like spearmint. Only S-carvone, the isomer smelling of caraway, is found in caraway seeds.
Cardamom
1,8-cineole is the major compound found in small cardamoms. The cardamom aroma is caused by the combination of this compound and another compound, alpha-terpinyl acetate.
Cayenne
Capsaicin is the major compound present in chilli peppers and gives them their spiciness. You can read more about capsaicin in the previous Chemistry of a Chilli post.
Chives
Similarly to onions and garlic, sulfur containing organic compounds give chives their flavour. One of the major contributors in chives is dipropyl disulfide.
Cloves
Eugenol is one of the main compounds found in cloves. More minor constituents are also contributors to the characteristic odour, for example compounds such as methylamylketone and methylsalicylate. Eugenol is named after the scientific name for cloves, and along with its derivative compounds is used in perfumery & flavourings.
Cinnamon
Cinnamaldehyde gives cinnamon its flavour and odour; 90% of the oil obtained from cinnamon bark is cinnamaldehyde. It is also used as a flavouring in chewing gum, sweets, ice cream and beverages.
Coriander Leaves
Once of the main components of cinnamon leaf oil extract is 2-decenoic acid. The composition also includes many different aldehydes, primarily those of 9-10 carbons in length. You can read more about the chemistry of coriander on the previous post on the site.
Coriander Seeds
The main compound in coriander seeds is linalool. It has two mirror image isomers, one of which is known as coriandrol. The other mirror image isomer is found in lavender and sweet basil.
Cumin
Cuminaldehyde is the main contributor to cumin’s warm aroma. Other constituents include a range of other aldehyde compounds.
Dill
Carvone, already mentioned for caraway, is also one of the main compounds found in dill. The spearmint isomer of carvone is used in the manufacture of chewing gum – spearmint chewing gum is produced by being soaked in carvone.
Ginger
Zingiberene is the major organic compound in ginger. The pungency of ginger is caused by a range of compounds called gingerols.
Lemongrass
Citral is a mix of two different isomeric aldehydes, neral and geranial. Citral is also used in perfumery for its citrus odour.
Mace
Mace’s chemical composition is similar to that of nutmeg, as they are both obtained from the same plant. The compound of the highest concentration in the essential oil of mace is terpinen-4-ol. It is also found in the essential oil of the tea tree.
Marjoram
Sabinene hydrate is the main component of the extracted oil of marjoram, and is responsible, along with other compounds of the terpene family, for the characteristic flavour of the herb.
Mint
The major compound in mint leaves is menthol. This compound is also a popular flavouring for chewing gum and toothpaste, and is also used in menthol cigarettes.
Nutmeg
Sabinene is one of the major constituents of the essential oil of nutmeg. Another compound found in nutmeg is myristicin, which can cause hallucinogenic effects in large amounts.
Oregano
Carvacrol is responsible for the warm, pungent odour of oregano. It is also found in tequila, and the oil of thyme.
Paprika
Capsanthin is one of the compounds that contributes towards the red-orange colour of paprika, as well as the compound capsorubin. These two compounds increase in concentration during the advanced stages of ripeness of peppers, increasing the intensity of their red colour.
Parsley
1,3,8-p-menthatriene is the major compound found in parsley leaves. Other compounds include myristicin & limonene.
Pepper
Piperine is the major constituent of the oil that can be extracted from black pepper, and is the main compound that gives black pepper its pungency. An isomer of piperine, chavicine, also contributes.
Rosemary
Alpha-pinene is found in many species of coniferous trees, notably the pine tree, as well as being one of the major compounds in rosemary. Along with other members of the monoterpene family of compounds, it is emitted in large amounts by vegetation.
Saffron
Crocin is the chemical compound responsible for the colour of saffron. It is a deep red colour, and forms an orange solution when dissolved in water. It has been shown to be a potent anti-oxidant.
Sage
Manool is one of the main chemical compounds found in sage. Others include eucalyptol, and thujone, a psychoactive compound.
Star Anise
80-90% of the essential oil extract of star anise is anethole. This can be isolated and used to flavour liqueurs such as sambuca, as well as liquorice sweets.
Tarragon
Estragole is an isomer of anethole, and is found in tarragon as well as basil. Estragole is suspected to be carcinogenic and genotoxic, but only at levels 100-1000 times the expected human exposure to the compound.
Thyme
Thymol is the compound that provides the distinct flavour of thyme. It is also used as one of many additives in cigarettes.
Turmeric
Compounds called curcuminoids are responsible for the yellow colouration of turmeric. They are also natural antioxidants. As a food additive, curcumin’s E number is E100.
Vanilla
The aroma of vanilla is mainly due to the compound vanillin, which accounts for 74-96% of the flavour & aroma compounds. Over 100 other volatile compounds have been detected, including acids, phenolic compounds, alcohols and aldehydes.
You can download the graphic as an A3 PDF here.
The graphic in this article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. See the site’s content usage guidelines.
References & Further Reading
- Gernot Katzer’s Spice Pages
- ‘The Chemistry of Spices’ – V. A. Parthasarathy
- ‘Essential Oil Variability in Sage’
20 replies on “Chemical Compounds in Herbs & Spices”
I never knew coriander seeds had linaloo in! You learn something new everyday 🙂
Really informative about a wonderful range of delicious herbs and spices, thanks for this 🙂
No problem, glad you enjoyed it 🙂
What do the colours mean??
The colour system is just one commonly used in UK supermarkets – green is for herbs, orange is for spices (or, to be honest, anything that isn’t herbs). The redder ones are just me taking a bit of artistic license, for the sake of having an extra colour thrown in, and because I thought the compounds present in peppers should get their own colour!
This has come up a few times actually – I guess maybe this system of colour coding herbs & spices isn’t as commonplace outside the UK?
I am in Spain. You actually made me go to the kitchen to check! In the supermarket I go to, green is for herbs and red is for spices; black is for salt. I thought, however, it had to do with chemistry, I mean, any other properties of those compounds. Thanks for your answer! I really like your blog and share the post in my social networks.
No problem, glad you’re enjoying the posts! Interesting that salt’s black in Spain – that’s usually used for pepper here (that, or blue, bizarrely).
[…] For more details on what chemicals are in an all-natural banana or which chemicals make herbs and spices smell so good? Find out here: http://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/ingredients-of-an-all-natural-banana/ and here: http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/03/13/chemical-compounds-in-herbs-spices/ […]
[…] posters das substâncias aromáticas de ervas e especiarias, e chocolate e café foram feitos pelo Compound […]
[…] – The Chemistry of Cloves. The Hallucinogen in Your Kitchen – The Chemistry of Nutmeg. Chemical Compounds in Herbs & Spices. Why Can Beetroot Turn Urine Red? – The Chemistry of Beetroot. Sourness & Scurvy – The […]
[…] The main compounds that give these four spices their distinctive flavours. Inspired by Compound Interest. […]
Citral is made up of neral & geranial… not lemonal, no such animal…
Good spot on the error there – lemonal is actually another, infrequently used name for citral, but I definitely meant neral. Fixed now!
Hi, We love these and bought a set, we’re looking to expand to make labels for other herbs, spices and mixes. Can I ask for the name of the font used, as I’d love for them to match the theme.
As you know, chemical composition in natural products is quite varied in response to environment and evolution. A chemotype of the same species of rosemary for instance can have 1,8-cineole(eucalyptol) as its main component and not alpha-pinene. Recently another ecotype was found. See http://uvachemistry.com/2015/07/20/the-dew-of-the-sea/
[…] branches which end in various carbon and hydrogen combinations. One form of carvone, s-carvone, is present in spearmint. Another kind of carvone, a mirror image known as r-carvone, dominates in caraway seeds, which have […]
[…] branches which end in various carbon and hydrogen combinations. One form of carvone, s-carvone, is present in spearmint. Another kind of carvone, a mirror image known as r-carvone, dominates in caraway seeds, which have […]
[…] nutritional profile of those foods does not necessarily transfer. Mint flavor is largely due to the chemical menthol. Making lettuce capable of making menthol might give it a hint of mint flavor, but would not bring […]
[…] vistazo detallado a los terpenoides y otros compuestos aromáticos en hierbas y especias comunes, de Compound […]
[…] some quick interesting reading about the sort of thing that is going on at a chemical level: http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/03/13/chemical-compounds-in-herbs-spices/ […]