18 Pleasantly Helpful Facts About Herbs & Spices

Mint was strewn across floors in Ancient Greece to cover the smell of the hard-packed soil, thus being known as the "herb for hospitality."

Pregnant women should not drink chamomile, as it may lead to miscarriage.

During the Middle Ages, saffron was so expensive some traders would try to increase their profits by bulking up the herb with yellow marigold petals. When authorities in Nuremberg, where the herb was mainly traded, found out about these tainted parcels of saffron, the traders were burned alive.

Chili peppers evolved to be spicy because heat repels most animals except for birds, which are responsible for spreading their seeds.

Lemon balm not only acts as a mild sedative and sleep aid but also boosts memory performance.

Fenugreek contains an extremely potent aromatic compound called solo tone and when consumed in heavy amounts, can prompt a sweet maple odor in sweat and urine. 

Licorice is mildly poisonous and should not be eaten during pregnancy or in quantities exceeding 70-150 grams per day.

The flavors of spearmint and caraway are chiral molecules. They have the exact same molecular composition, but their orientation (left or right) makes them taste and smell different from one another.

Poppy seeds can cause drug tests to test positive for heroin.

Black pepper can stop bleeding and take away the soreness of a cut.