Spices and Structures Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)

ACTIVITY in Observations, Isomers, Molecular Structure, Molecular Structure , Functional Groups, Isomers. Last updated August 11, 2025.

Summary

In this activity, students will taste and make notes about the flavors of 6 common spices used to flavor food and then compare the flavors and molecular structures of the spices.

Grade Level

High School

NGSS Alignment

This activity will help prepare your students to meet the performance expectations in the following standards:

  • HS-PS2-6: Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.
  • Science and Engineering Practices:
    • Engaging in Argument from Evidence
    • Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Objectives

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

  • Compare molecular structures to hypothesize how a functional group relates to a flavor profile.
  • Explain what an isomer is.
  • Explain that even small differences in molecules can cause big changes in the flavor profile.

Chemistry Topics

This activity supports students’ understanding of:

  • Molecular structure
  • Functional Groups
  • Isomers

Time

Teacher Preparation: 90 minutes (buying spices, labeling and setting out containers)
Lesson: 45 minutes

Materials

  • Student handout and reference sheet, labels for samples with names and molecules
  • Turmeric or Turmeric Rice (1 Tablespoon per student)
  • Fresh ginger or Ginger ale (1 piece/1 Tablespoon per student)
  • Menthol cough drops or Mint leaves (1 piece per student)
  • Jalapeño slices or Chips and spicy salsa (1 piece per student)
  • Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon per student)
  • Cinnamon sticks (cut into pieces) (1 piece per student)
  • Condiment cups or Ziploc bags (5 condiment cups per student)

Safety

  • Since food items are consumed in this activity, it must be done in a non-lab setting using food-safe containers.

Teacher Notes

  • Organic structures can be difficult for students to visualize. If your students have not previously worked with large organic molecules, taking some time in advance of this activity to explain to students about rings, types of functional groups, and the size of the molecule can help them feel more at ease when they see the molecules included in this activity. Consider spending a few minutes showing a structure to the group and what you look for when identifying similarities (types of functional groups, single/double/triple bonds, rings, etc.)
    • If you want students to enter the activity with a knowledge of functional groups, have them complete the Introduction to Functional Groups activity before this exploration.
    • The compounds students will be investigating in this activity are:
      • cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon)
      • capsaicin (jalapeños)
      • curcumin (turmeric)
      • gingerol (ginger)
      • vanillin (vanilla)
      • menthone (menthol/mint)
  • A reference sheet is provided for students with the structures of the main compounds responsible for the flavor of each spice (listed above). You can choose to provide your students with the skeletal structures, the expanded structures that show all the carbons and hydrogens to help students conceptualize each bond, or both.
    • Note that the compounds referenced on this sheet are considered the primary flavor compounds for each spice, but most spices typically get their full flavor profile from a combination of multiple compounds.
    • Molecular structures were created with MolView.
  • This activity involves tasting various food items and thus it should not be completed in the lab space or with lab equipment to avoid contamination with lab chemicals. Use food safe containers that have not been used in the lab.
    • To keep this activity organized, it could be helpful to portion everything out ahead of time in condiment cups or Ziploc bags, which will streamline set up and prevent students from taking more than their share. Students may be more reluctant to try plain turmeric, ginger, and jalapeño, so alternatives are included in the materials list above.
      • Turmeric rice can be made by cooking rice with turmeric, broth, and a little butter or oil. Add 3-4 tablespoons of turmeric to really help students pick up on the flavor.
    • Check the original containers for allergen information and be sure students are aware of any potential allergens in each sample. They should, of course, avoid tasting any of the spices they might have an allergic reaction to.
  • This activity is not so much about right or wrong answers but about recognizing patterns between molecules and generating ideas about how this might impact flavor. In addition, since taste is subjective and varies from person to person, students may describe the spice flavors differently from their classmates – make sure students know that this is normal and expected! Observations students may make include (but are certainly not limited to):
    • Ginger and turmeric have similar functional groups and are often used in Indian cuisines.
    • Capsaicin is the only one in this activity with nitrogen in it.
    • Capsaicin, curcumin, and gingerol have longer carbon chains whereas cinnamaldehyde, vanillin, and menthone are smaller molecules.
  • You can follow this activity up with a ChemMatters article on spices – some are linked below:
  • For more inspiration, consider reading the Chemistry Solutions article on phenomena writing.
  • The Herbal Remedies activity is another great resource to engage your students in a similar process.

For the Student

Background

Spices are seeds, fruit, roots, rhizomes, or bark of plants that are used for flavoring and/or coloring food. (Not to be confused with herbs, which are seasonings derived from a plant's leaves, flowers, or stems!) In this activity, you will taste a selection of spices and record your observations about their flavors. Then, you will examine the molecular structures of the primary compounds in each spice and consider how the structures could contribute to similarities or differences between them.

Procedure

  1. Obtain a condiment cup or Ziploc for each spice you are to sample. Only touch your sample and wash or sanitize your hands before and after tasting.
  2. Place a small amount of the sample on your tongue. Let it sit for a minute. Describe the flavors you notice – Is it sweet? sour? earthy like a mushroom? Does it taste bitter or nutty? Is it floral tasting? These are examples of descriptive words, but you may use your own!
  3. Record your observations below.

Observations

Spice

Description of Taste

Analysis

  1. Choose the two flavors that tasted the most alike to you. Compare their structures (see separate reference sheet for structures). How are they similar? How are they different? (Look at: length of molecule, shape of carbon chains, types of elements in the molecule, types of intermolecular forces)
  2. Choose the two flavors that tasted the most different to you. Compare their structures. How are they similar? How are they different? (Look at: length of molecule, shape of carbon chains, types of elements in the molecule, types of intermolecular forces)
  3. What is your favorite flavor from the flavors above? Which other spice above has the most similar structure to it? Do they taste similar? Why do you think this is?
  4. Morphine and piperine (the main ingredient in black pepper) have the same chemical formula (C17H19NO3). Research why morphine is not used as a spice and piperine is not used as a painkiller. Explain your answer using the chemical structures. These are called isomers.
  1. Some experts claim that cinnamon can help lower blood sugar. Insulin does help to control blood sugar. Do you notice any similarities between the structure of cinnamon and the structure of insulin? If you notice similarities, make a hypothesis about if these similarities could help cinnamon lower blood sugar. If you do not notice similarities, make a hypothesis about why cinnamon may not lower blood sugar that much.
  1. Choose a spice that you love the flavor of. Draw a picture of its chemical structure below. What dishes is it most commonly used in? Compare its structure to one of the spices investigated in the activity that it looks most similar to.