A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetable substance primarily used for flavoring, coloring or preserving food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are parts of leafy green plants used for flavoring or as a garnish.

Herbs generally refers to the leafy green or flowering parts of a plant (either fresh or dried), while spices are usually dried and produced from other parts of the plant, including seeds, bark, roots and fruits.

A grain is a small, hard, dry seed, with or without an attached hull or fruit layer, harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant.

Oilseeds are seeds grown primarily for the production of edible oils. Peanuts & soybeans can be considered oilseeds. Vegetable oil is obtained by pressing the seeds and then extracting the oil. The cake or meal obtained in the extraction is a rich source of proteins