Spices &amp; Seasonings

single-origincinnamondirect-trade+2

🌿01Gold Standard

11/12

Burlap & Barrel

Burlap & Barrel's Royal Cinnamon is a single-origin heirloom Cinnamomum loureiroi from Vietnam, prized for its high essential oil content and sweetness. The brand sets the industry standard for transparency by publishing heavy metal test results and sourcing directly from smallholder farmers.

🌿01Gold Standard

12/12

Mountain Rose Herbs

Organic Turmeric Root Powder

$11.50($0.72/oz)

Mountain Rose Herbs is the gold standard for botanical safety, utilizing an in-house ISO-accredited laboratory to test for microbes, heavy metals, and pesticides. Their bulk pricing offers the best value for high-purity, organic-certified spices in the US.

organicbulklab-tested+1

🌿01Gold Standard

10/12

Burlap & Barrel

Zanzibar Black Peppercorns

$10

These peppercorns are vine-ripened and hand-picked in Zanzibar. Unlike industrial pepper which is often a blend of old crops, these are single-harvest. High piperine content enhances the bioavailability of other nutrients like curcumin. The company is a Public Benefit Corporation focusing on direct trade and supply chain equity.

🌿01Gold Standard

12/12

Pure Indian Foods

Organic Turmeric Powder (Lab Tested)

$18

One of the few brands that explicitly provides batch-specific lab results for heavy metals including lead, arsenic, and cadmium. This product is USDA Organic and non-irradiated. It is specifically marketed for health-conscious consumers who use turmeric for therapeutic purposes.

🌿01Gold Standard

11/12

Mountain Rose Herbs

Organic Ceylon Cinnamon Powder

$12

Essential for health-focused sites because it is 'true' cinnamon (Ceylon), which contains negligible amounts of coumarin compared to Cassia cinnamon. High coumarin intake can be liver-toxic. Mountain Rose Herbs is renowned for strict organic sourcing and sustainability practices.

🌿01Gold Standard

8/12

The Spice House

Saffron (Coupe Spanish)

Coupe grade is the highest quality of Spanish saffron, consisting only of the red tips of the stigmas. Saffron has emerging evidence for mood support and eye health. The Spice House ensures high safranal and crocin content through careful sourcing, avoiding common yellow-style adulterants.

🌿01Gold Standard

12/12

Mountain Rose Herbs

Organic Ceylon Cinnamon Powder

True Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) is preferred for health due to its low coumarin content compared to Cassia. Mountain Rose Herbs is a leader in botanical safety, utilizing an in-house lab for GC/MS testing and microbial analysis. Certified Organic and Fair Trade.

🌿01Gold Standard

11/12

Rumi Spice

Afghan Saffron

Sourced from Afghan women farmers, this saffron is Grade 1 (ISO 3632) meaning it has the highest color strength and aroma. Saffron is often adulterated; Rumi provides a clean supply chain that bypasses the traditional opaque brokerage system. High crocin levels for antioxidant benefits.

🌿01Gold Standard

11/12

Redmond Real Salt

Ancient Sea Salt

Mined from an ancient seabed in Utah, protected from modern ocean pollutants and microplastics. Unlike refined table salt, it contains 60+ trace minerals and no anti-caking agents or dextrose. Excellent for those focused on mineral density and avoiding synthetic additives.

🌿01Gold Standard

10/12

Wildly Organic

Organic Ground Ginger

Wildly Organic prioritizes low-heat processing to preserve volatile oils and gingerol content. Their ginger is tested for heavy metals and is non-irradiated. The flavor profile is significantly more potent than mass-market brands, indicating higher active compound retention.

🌿01Gold Standard

10/12

Villa Jerada

Moroccan Ras El Hanout

Hidden gem: quality spices product with limited brand awareness.

🌿01Gold Standard

10/12

Pure Indian Foods

Kashmiri Chili Powder

Hidden gem: quality spices product with limited brand awareness.

🌿01Gold Standard

10/12

BoTree Farm

Kampot Black Pepper

Hidden gem: quality spices product with limited brand awareness.

🌿01Gold Standard

10/12

Rumi Spice

Supe-Saffron (Grade A+)

Hidden gem: quality spices product with limited brand awareness.

🌿01Gold Standard

10/12

Le Sanctuaire

Vadouvan French Masala Curry

Hidden gem: quality spices product with limited brand awareness.

peppertellicherryfresh-ground+1

🌿02Excellent

9/12

The Spice House

Tellicherry Peppercorns (Extra Bold)

$10.49($2.62/oz)

These are 'Tellicherry Garbled Special Extra Bold' (TGSEB) grade, representing the top 10% of the harvest by size and flavor complexity. The Spice House's flatpack system ensures high turnover and freshness compared to glass jars that sit on shelves.

🌿02Excellent

10/12

Simply Organic

Organic Ground Ginger

A highly accessible but high-quality option. Simply Organic uses a CO2 extraction process for some extracts and ensures all spices are ETO-free (not sterilized with ethylene oxide). Their ginger is consistently rated high for potency and digestive health benefits.

🌿02Excellent

9/12

Frontier Co-op

Organic Smoked Paprika

Frontier Co-op is a member-owned organization. Their smoked paprika is oak-smoked rather than using liquid smoke flavorings. It provides a significant antioxidant profile (capsanthin) without the chemical additives found in lower-tier seasonings.

🌿02Excellent

9/12

Anthony's Goods

Organic Turmeric Powder

Anthony's is a favorite for bulk buyers. While not single-origin like Diaspora, they batch-test for lead and provide a high-value organic product. It's an excellent choice for those making daily 'golden milk' or large batches of health tonics on a budget.

🌿02Excellent

10/12

Starwest Botanicals

Organic Kelp Powder

A functional seasoning used as a salt substitute and iodine source. Starwest Botanicals tests for heavy metals and radiation, which is essential for sea-derived herbs. It is a nutrient-dense addition to a health-focused spice rack.

🌿02Excellent

8/12

Primal Palate

Organic Garlic Powder

Focused on the Paleo community, Primal Palate ensures no anti-caking agents (like silicon dioxide) or fillers are used. Their garlic is dried at low temperatures to preserve the sulfur-containing compounds like allicin which are beneficial for heart health.

🌿02Excellent

9/12

Healthworks

Organic Cacao Powder

While often categorized as a superfood, cacao is an essential 'spice' for health-focused cooking (mole, smoothies). It is cold-pressed to preserve flavanols. Note: Cacao can contain cadmium; Healthworks provides a good organic option but lacks the specific batch-testing transparency of the gold-tier brands.

🌿02Excellent

10/12

Frontier Co-op

Organic Ground Turmeric

A reliable, high-volume organic option. While it lacks the single-farm specificity of Diaspora Co, Frontier Co-op is a member-owned organization with strong sustainability standards. It is non-ETO (ethylene oxide) treated and non-irradiated.

🌿02Excellent

9/12

Simply Organic

Organic Ceylon Cinnamon

Widely available and consistently high quality for a retail brand. Simply Organic (part of Frontier Co-op) supports organic farming and provides a safer Ceylon alternative to common Cassia. Good value for health-conscious consumers who shop at standard grocery stores.

🌿02Excellent

8/12

Spicewalla

Mediterranean Oregano

Small-batch roasted and packed in Asheville, NC. The small-batch approach ensures the carvacrol levels (the active compound in oregano) remain higher than in bulk-stored herbs. Excellent aroma and flavor profile compared to generic dried herbs.

🌿02Excellent

9/12

Primal Palate

Garlic Herb Seasoning

Certified Organic and specifically formulated for Paleo/Whole30 diets. Unlike most seasonings, it contains no anti-caking agents, MSG, or hidden sugars. Sourcing is focused on high-quality organic suppliers, making it a clean choice for pre-mixed blends.

🌿02Excellent

11/12

Starwest Botanicals

Organic Kelp Powder

Kelp is a potent source of iodine but is prone to arsenic contamination. Starwest Botanicals provides comprehensive testing for heavy metals on their bulk herbs. This is a high-value way to add minerals to a diet when sourced from a reputable tester.

🌿02Excellent

6/12

365 by Whole Foods Market

Organic Ground Cumin

An acceptable budget option for organic cumin. While it doesn't offer specific harvest dates or farm origins, it meets basic USDA Organic certification requirements, ensuring it was grown without synthetic pesticides. Adequate for general use where high-potency medicinal value isn't the primary goal.

🌿02Excellent

10/12

Reluctant Trading Experiment

Tellicherry Peppercorns (The Big Black Peppercorns)

Hidden gem: quality spices product with limited brand awareness.

🌿02Excellent

10/12

Burlap & Barrel

Wild Cured Sumac

Hidden gem: quality spices product with limited brand awareness.

🌿02Excellent

10/12

Curio Spice Co.

Aegean Isle Oregano

Hidden gem: quality spices product with limited brand awareness.

🌿03Good

7/12

Spicewalla

Mediterranean Oregano

Spicewalla focuses on small-batch roasting and grinding in Asheville, NC. While they lack the deep lab transparency of Pure Indian Foods, the freshness of their dried herbs ensures higher essential oil retention (carvacrol and thymol) than standard supermarket brands.

🌿03Good

8/12

Thrive Market

Organic Ground Cumin

A solid, budget-friendly organic staple. Thrive Market audits their suppliers for organic compliance and ethical labor. Cumin is excellent for digestion (stimulating pancreatic enzymes), and this version avoids the pesticide residues often found in non-organic cumin.

🌿03Good

7/12

McCormick Gourmet

Organic Smoked Paprika

While a mass-market brand, the 'Gourmet Organic' line is a significant step up from their standard line. It is USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified. It lacks the deep sourcing transparency of boutique brands but is a safe, accessible entry point for clean spices.

unrefinedtrace-mineralsmicroplastic-free

salt(2)

🌿01Gold Standard

11/12

Redmond

Real Salt

$7(16oz)

Ancient sea salt from Utah—unrefined with 60+ trace minerals. No microplastics (unlike ocean salts). No anti-caking agents.

ancient-saltunrefinedusa-made+1

🌿01Gold Standard

12/12

Redmond

Real Salt Ancient Kosher Sea Salt

$11.39($0.44/oz)

Redmond Real Salt is mined from a protected ancient seabed in Utah, making it naturally free from modern pollutants and microplastics found in ocean-harvested salts. It contains 60+ trace minerals and is completely unrefined with no anti-caking agents.