Spices According to Hildegard of Bingen: The Most Important Culinary Herbs and Their Significance

Long before modern nutritional science spoke up, a woman in the Middle Ages already knew with remarkable precision the power contained in spices: Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179), abbess, mystic, and one of the most important healers of her time. Her writings—above all the work "Physica"—read like a compendium of centuries-old observations about herbs, spices, and foods. Anyone interested in natural medicine today cannot avoid her name. Because what Hildegard wrote about the effects of galangal, fennel, bertram, and lovage still sounds surprisingly contemporary today—and inspires many people to rediscover their kitchen. Hildegard of Bingen products

Hildegard of Bingen and her herb philosophy

Hildegard of Bingen lived in a time when the boundary between cooking and healing barely existed. In the monasteries of the Middle Ages, the kitchen was simultaneously a pharmacy, laboratory, and place of care. Hildegard understood spices not merely as flavor enhancers but as living components of a holistic way of life. Her teaching was based on the concept of "Viriditas"—the green life force—that she saw at work in plants, herbs, and spices. For her, every herb was a gift of creation meant to help humans live in balance.

What makes Hildegard’s writings so special is their combination of spiritual thinking and practical observation. She described individual herbs and spices with a level of detail that was extraordinary for her time. She distinguished between plants that were "good for" people and those that were more harmful. Her standard was not chemistry in the modern sense but the interplay of temperaments, seasons, and the individual condition of the person. This thinking in interactions, in wholeness rather than isolated symptoms, makes her teaching attractive again today for people who want to rethink nutrition and well-being.

Hildegard’s herbal knowledge is still carried on today in monastic medicine and natural healing traditions. Numerous alternative practitioners, nutritionists, and natural food stores refer to her writings. The goal is not to copy the Middle Ages but to translate the inherited knowledge into everyday life—in the form of teas, cooking spices, or carefully composed herbal blends. Hildegard of Bingen products

“Hildegard wrote in her ‘Physica’ about more than 230 plants and herbs—thus presenting one of the earliest systematic herbals of the European Middle Ages.” – Historical classification by Hildegard research, University of Mainz

An overview of the most important spices from Hildegard’s kitchen

Hildegard of Bingen had clear favorites among kitchen herbs—spices she repeatedly praised in her writings and recommended for regular use. These spices have been used for centuries in monastic kitchens and folk medicine. Those who integrate them into their kitchens today connect to a living tradition that goes far beyond mere culinary use.

Galangal, bertram, fennel, and lovage are among the most frequently mentioned spices in Hildegard’s writings—and remain firmly established in European monastic medicine to this day.

Interestingly, many of these spices are experiencing a renaissance in modern natural food and natural medicine. People consciously seek traditional foods, ingredients with history and meaning—and inevitably come across Hildegard’s kitchen. This is no coincidence: these spices are characterized by intense aromas, a rich plant compound culture, and a millennia-old history of use. BitterKraft Original

Hildegard’s most important kitchen herbs at a glance:

• Galangal (Alpinia officinarum): Galangal was Hildegard’s declared favorite spice—she called it the “spice of life.” It has been traditionally valued in monastic kitchens and used in herbal blends for centuries.
• Bertram (Anacyclus pyrethrum): Bertram was considered a warming spice in medieval cooking and was historically used with meals regarded as “heavy.” Hildegard devoted extensive passages to it in the Physica.
• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): Fennel—whether as seed, herb, or vegetable—was one of Hildegard’s most versatile kitchen plants. It has been traditionally used for centuries in European herbal cuisine.
• Lovage (Levisticum officinale): Lovage, also called “maggikraut,” was widespread in medieval monastery gardens. Hildegard valued it as a strong seasoning herb for hearty dishes.
• Dill (Anethum graveolens): Dill was described in Hildegard’s tradition as a mild, everyday seasoning herb suitable for daily cooking.
• Parsley (Petroselinum crispum): Parsley was one of the indispensable kitchen herbs in monastic medicine and was cultivated in monastery gardens as early as the early Middle Ages.
• Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum): Wild thyme, a type of wild thyme, was described by Hildegard as a warming, strong seasoning herb and remains a classic monastery herb today.

What lies behind Hildegard’s spice selection?

Most of the spices Hildegard recommended are characterized by a pronounced distinctive taste—often spicy, aromatic, or slightly bitter. These flavor profiles are closely linked in natural medicine with traditionally positive effects on general well-being. Bitter and aromatic plant compounds have been a fixed part of daily nutrition in many cultures for thousands of years—not despite their intense taste, but precisely because of it.

Galangal and Bertram: a closer look at Hildegard’s favorite spices

Among all the spices Hildegard of Bingen mentioned in her writings, two stand out particularly: galangal and bertram. Both are rather rare in German kitchens today—yet they have a long history as valued monastery spices and deserve rediscovery. Many may still know galangal from Asian cuisine, where it is closely related to ginger. In Hildegard’s tradition, however, it holds a very special place.

Hildegard described galangal in her “Physica” with the words: “Whoever suffers from heart pain and heart weakness should eat galangal, and it will improve.” This quote is, of course, to be understood as a historical reference—not a modern medical claim. But it shows the importance galangal had in medieval herbal teaching: it was considered a strengthening, warming spice traditionally used in monastic medicine for centuries. Today, it is found in many Hildegard herbal blends and supplements. Hildegard of Bingen products

Bertram, botanically related to chamomile, was used in medieval monastery kitchens as a strong spice for meat dishes and soups. It has a slightly sharp, peppery taste and was widespread in medieval monastery gardens. Hildegard especially recommended it for people prone to coldness and heaviness—a concept linked to the temperament theory of ancient medicine. Today, bertram is mainly used in Hildegard medicine and natural healing, where it is valued as a traditional kitchen and monastery spice.

“Galangal is counted among the so-called ‘warming’ spices in Hildegard medicine, which were attributed a balancing effect on cold temperaments in medieval humoral pathology.” – From: Gottfried Hertzka / Wighard Strehlow, “Great Hildegard Pharmacy,” 1987

Galangal is considered Hildegard’s “spice of life”—and today experiences a remarkable renaissance as part of herbal blends and natural products in natural medicine.

Spices in everyday life: rediscovering Hildegard’s kitchen

The beauty of Hildegard’s herbal knowledge is that it can be applied directly in everyday life—without detours through pharmacies or specialist practices. Her spices are foods that can be integrated into daily cooking: as seasoning for soups, stews, herb butter, or teas. The principle is “adding instead of omitting”—it’s not about giving something up but about giving everyday life more depth, more flavor, and more awareness.

A classic Hildegard recipe still popular today is the so-called spice wine elixir—a mixture of galangal, fennel, bertram, and other spices steeped in wine or water and consumed daily in small amounts. Hildegard’s spelt kitchen is also legendary: she valued spelt as the “grain of grains” and liked to combine it with aromatic herbs like lovage, wild thyme, and parsley. Anyone wanting to cook according to Hildegard today will find a rich repertoire of ideas in her legacy—from simple herbal teas to elaborate herb lards and elixirs.

For people who appreciate natural medicine and traditional nutrition, Hildegard’s world of spices offers a unique opportunity to connect history and present. Engaging with her writings is also an invitation to design one’s own kitchen more consciously—with ingredients that have a story and with an awareness that food can be more than just energy intake. It is a ritual, an act of self-care. Hildegard of Bingen products

Hildegard’s spices in everyday life—how to get started:

Galangal tea: Let dried galangal steep in hot water—a classic monastery drink traditionally enjoyed for centuries.

Bertram seasoning oil: Infuse bertram together with thyme and lovage in high-quality olive oil—ideal for hearty dishes.

Hildegard spice blend: A classic mix of galangal, bertram, fennel seeds, and wild thyme is suitable as a universal seasoning for soups, stews, and sauces.

Fennel spelt soup: A simple recipe from the monastery kitchen—spelt, fennel, lovage, and herb broth form a filling, aromatic meal.

Why Hildegard’s herbal knowledge is still relevant today

In a time when many people have lost track of ingredients, additives, and supplements, Hildegard’s approach offers refreshingly clear guidance: back to the plant, back to simplicity, back to ingredients that have been part of European food culture for centuries. Her herbal kitchen is no secret science—it is lived everyday knowledge refined and passed down through generations in monasteries.

Hildegard’s thinking is especially relevant today because it takes a holistic view of nutrition and well-being. For her, eating was never just food intake but always an act of self-care, mindfulness, and connection with nature. This thinking is found today in many areas of natural medicine and conscious living—from monastic medicine to the natural food movement to modern wellness concepts. Fasting products

Those interested in Hildegard’s world of spices are advised to start gradually: a good Hildegard herbal book, a few basic spices like galangal, fennel, and bertram, and the willingness to see one’s kitchen as a place of deceleration and mindfulness. This is not a question of budget or culinary talent—it is a question of attitude. And it was precisely this attitude, this deep appreciation for creation in all its forms, that made Hildegard of Bingen one of the most important figures in European natural medicine.

Hildegard’s herbal kitchen is not a medieval relic—it is a living heritage inviting people today to rethink nutrition and well-being: consciously, traditionally, and with deep respect for nature.

“Hildegard medicine today is one of the best-documented systems of medieval natural medicine in Europe. Its basic principles—moderation, closeness to nature, and appreciation of traditional plant knowledge—find broad resonance in modern natural medicine.” – Strehlow, Wighard: Hildegard of Bingen. Healing Power of Nature. Beuroner Kunstverlag, 2012