Top 10 facts about the world. Worldwide, hundreds of spices are in routine use, from the widely familiar black pepper to the somewhat obscure ajowan seed. They can be broken down into a number of different categories, such as the way they behave in cooking, or the region they come from. think the most common herbs and spices are garlic, onions, and Italian spices like Oregano. Garlic and onion can also be found in salts and powders for simpler things like marinades and just for basic baking. I like that this article enlightens people on some of the lesser known spices.