What spices are sweet?

Search: sweet spices

Why: I am about to drink my 4th cup of tea today (Podrea; thanks Hillary!). Though I don't usually sweeten tea, it is starting to taste a bit monotonous (monoflavorous?). Sugar is bad for you, and honey - while "natural" and "better for you - has a great deal of calories. The only other thing I see in the spice rack is cinnamon.

Answer: There aren't many! A few herbs are sweetish, but not really the sort of thing you want to put in tea. Here are some options:

• Allspice - Sweet spice of Caribbean origin with a flavor suggesting a blend of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. May be purchased ground or as whole dried berries, which can be bruised to release more flavor.
  

• Basil - Sweet, warm flavor with an aromatic odor, used whole or ground.

• Chives - Mild, sweet herb related to the onion.

• Cinnamon - Popular sweet, aromatic spice that comes from the bark of laurel trees (WHAT!). It is sold ground or in sticks and used to flavor baked goods.

• Cloves - Rich East African spice used to provide flavor to both sweet and savory recipes, from baked goods to pickling brines.

• Nutmeg - Popular baking spice that is the hard pit of the fruit of the nutmeg tree.

• Pumpkin Pie Spice - A blend of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves used for pumpkin pie, gingerbread, cookies, sweet potatoes, and applesauce. (Is this a real thing?)

• Tarragon - Fragrant, sweet herb used fresh or dried to season vegetables, salads, light meats, seafood, and eggs.

Source: Herbs, Spices, and Seasonings

The More You Know: Also maybe some sort of mint - like peppermint, which is a hybrid between spearmint and watermint.