Plants and medicines have been partners as far back as history reaches, although different cultures have had different approaches to herbal remedies. Many Eastern cultures, for example, traditionally view illness as a sign of cosmic disharmony; herbal cures are calculated to restore balance, to create peace between the opposing principles of yin and yang, rather than treat specific problems. The European herbal medicine tradition has been less holistic. Astronomy, too, has played a role in herbal medicine, and old herbals (books about herbs and their medicinal powers) are filled with references to herbs “owned by Venus” or “under the dominion of the moon.” Whether their approach was systematic or eclectic, people have prescribed herbs for every condition known to humankind.

Even if you’re skeptical about the power of fennel to cure “every kind of poison in a man’s body” — the claim in one thirteenth-century herbal — there’s no question that plants are rich with substances that can ease and cure diseases, even prevent them. Early physicians called herbs simples, meaning that each herb was a simple, or single, medicine, not a compound. In fact, most herbs contain more than one chemical compound — nearly 1,500 have been isolated to date.

The best-known herbs today are those used in the kitchen to flavor and color food and drink. Many are good for you, too. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a teaspoon of dill seed contains 32 mg calcium; a teaspoon of ground basil contains 6 mg magnesium. The healthful-herb champ is the chili pepper: One teaspoon of chili powder contains potassium, sodium, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), niacin, and vitamin A. If you substitute chili powder for your multivitamin, we recommend taking each teaspoon with a gallon of milk (to offset the chili’s heat).

Spice is another name for a culinary herb. Purists use the word “herb” when they refer to plants grown for their leaves and stems; spice plants are those cultivated for their flowers, seeds, bark, wood, resin, and roots. You also may come across the word potherb. That’s an old term that refers to vegetables and herbs used in salads, soups, and stews.

In addition to their ties to the pantry and medicine chest, herbs have an ancient connection to rites and myths. The lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) was sacred to Isis, the Egyptian goddess of fertility; white roses (Rosa damascena) and madonna lilies (Lilium candidum) represent the Virgin Mary; Greek athletes were awarded wreaths of bay (Laurus nobilis). Herbs are still used to dye, to create wreaths and bouquets, and to make perfumes, cosmetics, bug repellants, cleaning compounds, and more.