Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a spice commonly used in many Asian and Middle-Eastern dishes and herbal medicine. Ginger falls under curcuma species. Usually, it helps intestinal problems and digestion and is a great food for people on lectin-free diet. In addition, ginger can be used as an analgesic (painkiller) and in treating health disorders.

The fruits of sumac are particularly popular in North America. Sumac is used as a spice for its great tart taste and health benefits. It is cultivated in many parts of the world, particularly the Middle East, North America, and Africa. The red, green, or creamy plants dry over time and become dark red or reddish purple. Sumac is used in Turkish, Arabic, and Middle Eastern cuisine. Its Turkish taste is a great addition to hot or cold Sharbat and tea.

Golpar or Persian hogweed is a plant with white coin-shaped flowers and aromatic seeds and it is used as a culinary spice. Spices are great fat-burners and help losing weight. They create a feeling of fullness and prevent people from eating too much. They also help digestion and give a more pleasant flavor to dishes. Golpar is among the spices that have many health benefits, helping losing weight and reducing belly and side fat.

When Iranians hear the name of “Khakshir” [flixweed], summer and Khakshir-lime Sharbat comes to their mind. But flixweed has a lot of other benefits and can help treat many diseases. From ancient times, flixweed has been an inseparable ingredient in Iranian kitchen and has many uses. Flixweed is an annual or biennial plant from Brassicaceae family (commonly known as mustards) and grows in plains and mountains. Its seeds are tiny and a little long and are brown and red (red seeds are bitter in taste).

Cardamom is of the ginger family and both grows wildly and is cultivated in mountainous areas under tree shade. Cardamom trees are native to southeastern Asia. They are 30–50 cm tall although some have woody parts and branches up to three meters high. Some of them are alternate-leaved (with pointy leaves) and have tiny white flowers similar to fava (broad) beans flowers. Cardamom bears bean-sized indehiscent fruits with dark skin and lots of seeds.