Ginger (Zingiber officinale) belongs to the Zingiberaceae plant family, which also includes turmeric and cardamom. Ginger comes from the Sanskrit word ‘‘hornroot.’’ It grows in Jamaica, India, Haiti, Hawaii, and…

Sesame oil is derived from a plant species called Sesamum indicum, which is a herbaceous annual belonging to the Pedaliaceae family that reaches about 6 ft (1.8 m) in height.…

Turmeric is a member of the Curcuma botanical group, which is part of the ginger family of herbs, the Zingiberaceae. Its botanical name is Curcuma longa. Turmeric is widely grown…

Theanine is an amino acid, which is a building block of protein. It is a prominent component of Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub used to make green, black, white, and…

Saffron is an herbal preparation harvested fromthe stigma of the Crocus sativus flower. It is dark orange and threadlike in appearance, with a spicy flavor and pungent odor. The plant…

Selenium (Se) is a nonmetallic element. No commercially important ores of selenium exist. It is usually obtained as by-product in the refining of copper sulfide, with which it occurs as…