Sumac is a spice made from berries that is especially popular in Middle Eastern cooking. The spice has a lovely sour flavor and bright red color. Sumac is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory herbs available. Rich in a wide variety of polyphenols and flavonoids, it helps lower blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, and reduce bone loss. Do not confuse red berry sumac (Rhus typhina) with poisonous white sumac which is a different plant with white berries or with the commonly called Chinese Sumac (Wu Bei Zi) which is actually a gallnut caused by the insect Maliphis and is a variety of sumac with yellow-green blossoms. These are each different plants though in the same Rhus family of plants.

Discover Sumac (Wu Bei Zi/Yan Fu Zi) and other herbs by visiting our Herb Directory.