In simple words, spices are obtained from different plant parts except leaves i.e. they are obtainable from seeds, roots, barks or fruits to enhance taste during cooking. Everyone uses spices while cooking to make a dish aromatic. Added both in sweet and savoury dishes, spices have been used since ages in all cultures around the globe. Some are fond of using ground spices whereas some relish the flavour of whole or mixed spices.  If you use ground spices the most, let’s uncover some of the most important ground spices used in all cuisines along with their shelf life.

1. Cinnamon: Cinnamon is obtainable from the branches and barks of Cinnamomum. It is an aromatic spice with exemplary medicinal, beauty and aromatic properties. This spice has a woody, sweet and fruity flavour and is commonly available in ground or a stick form. For culinary purposes, cinnamon makes a common addition to pastry, desserts, savoury dishes, hot beverages and different kinds of meat. The shelf life of ground cinnamon is up to 4 years when stored properly in cool and dark places away from the heat, moisture and sunlight. You can buy ground spices like cinnamon online both in powder and in stick form at a cost-effective rate.
2. Ginger: Ginger is an important spice used globally in savoury dishes. For culinary purposes, the root of the ginger plant is used either in fresh or dried form. It is added to due to its zesty flavour in marinades, beverages commonly tea and savoury dishes. The word ginger is derived from the Sanskrit word “sinabera” meaning “shaped like a horn”, and Indians and Chinese first cultivated it. Well-stored ground ginger has a shelf life up to 3 years. Prefer keeping ginger in airtight containers away from heat and sunlight to use for prolonged time.
3. Ground Cumin: Used either in the ground, whole or dried form, cumin is one of the most popular spices of Asian, Middle-East and Mediterranean cuisines. Cumin has a pale green seed of the herb that belongs to the parsley family. The seeds of cumin are deeply furrowed and uniformly elliptical. It is grown in many places around the world and is available in both ground and powdered form. This spice has an earthy aroma due to which it makes a perfect addition to marinades and meat rubs. You can easily buy these ground spices online from a reputed UK based store in both small and large quantities.
4. Ground Turmeric: It is a cousin to ginger and makes a wonderful addition in all savoury dishes for their bright yellow colour, and earthy and warm flavour. It is one of the common spices added in Caribbean and Indian cuisines. Moreover, ground turmeric is omnipresent in pickled foods and curries also. Besides colouring, turmeric is well-known worldwide for its healing properties as it contains curcumin. Like other ground spices, ground turmeric is easy to use for 3 years from the manufacturing date when properly stored. For preserving the freshness and flavour of turmeric, avoid storing it in hot and wet conditions.
5. Pepper: Also known as black pepper, it is a dried berry of vine Piper Nigrum. This vine is indigenous to Asia and India and grows up to ten feet tall.  It is one of the oldest spices in the world and the earliest one to trade in Europe and Asia. The cloves have a sharp spicy flavour and added in savoury dishes after adding oil. White, green and black peppers are commonly available in the online marketplace. However, black pepper is the most versatile spice amongst three varieties. Like other spices, you need to store it in a cool and dark place for prolonging its usage. You can buy pepper both in the ground or powdered form.
6. Paprika: A less common and red coloured spice, paprika is one of the varieties of the sweet bell peppers. It is a rich source of antioxidant-carotenoids, making it extremely valuable and useful. In most of the online stores, you will find smoked or Hungarian paprika for adding in meat rubs and for seasoning purposes. The stock of paprika stays in the good condition up to 3 years.

If you have bought these spices in a whole form and want to make their powder, either grind them in an electric coffee grinder or in a mortar and pestle. This is not a complete list of ground spices but some of the most common ground spices which people use in daily cooking. The best thing is all these ground spices are easy to buy online from a well-established grocery store even in the UK at affordable rates. So, place your order today!