Create allergy card
← Browse ingredients

Grains of Paradise

West African peppery seed with citrus notes.

Grains of Paradise — illustrative ingredient image

About Grains of Paradise

Grains of paradise is a peppery West African seed used as a spice in savoury foods, baking, and some drinks. It can stand in for part of the peppery seasoning in a dish, though its flavour is distinctive. Cooks use it whole, cracked, or ground according to how evenly they want the spice distributed.

The flavour is warm, peppery, and slightly citrusy, with a cardamom-like or ginger-like impression in some preparations. Whole seeds give bursts of flavour when chewed, while ground seeds disperse more evenly and can seem hotter or more integrated into the dish.

The seeds are small, hard, and brownish, with a dry, granular interior. They are sold whole or as a ground powder. Toasting can deepen their aroma before grinding, while crushing in a mortar or spice mill produces a coarser or finer seasoning for rubs, stews, baked goods, or beverages.

Ingredient type
seasoning

FOLLOW IT TO THE PLATE

Where will you meet it?

Explore the dishes that use this ingredient and their country and cuisine connections.

Explore linked dishes

ON A MENU OR LABEL

Find local names and written forms to help recognise this ingredient.

See local names

Where grains of paradise appears

0 linked foods

Find foods to recognise by country and type. Recipes and products vary; these are recorded ingredient connections.

Food connections are still being added.

No linked foods are available for this ingredient yet.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for grains of paradise

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Grains of Paradise

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Grains of Paradise nutrition & diet

Grains of Paradise nutritional value

Representative benchmark: Spices, not further specified

Representative nutrition benchmarkOfficial table values for a comparable food category, not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient.

Per 100 g of 100 g edible portion in the named official reference form.

Calories
349kcal
Protein
12.1g
Carbs
30.5g
Fat
14.5g

Representative benchmark from a comparable official food-composition category; it is not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient. The displayed reference form must be considered, and species, cultivar, recipe, brand, processing and preparation can change values.

Portions & preparation

Establish that the ingredient is grains of paradise seed, rather than another peppery spice, before selecting a reference. Use the dried whole seed or ground form that matches the recipe. Small seasoning portions and preparation with heat, grinding, or blending should be documented distinctly.

Compare the right form: Match references to authenticated grains of paradise seeds, whole or ground, and specify dried form, species identity, and edible seasoning portion.

Diet considerations

Grains of paradise are a plant-derived spice seed. Compatibility usually depends on the surrounding recipe rather than the seasoning itself, especially when blended into sauces, baked goods, or meat dishes. Establish the exact botanical identity and any commercial blend before making diet-specific judgments.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Pacific Nutrient Database 2020 — 01.1.9.4.0_99 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .