why was the spice trade so important

its just spices man... why did rich europeans pay so much for some spices... this european obsession with food is quite bizarre to me... what's wrong with eating vegetables and spmices native to your country?

It was used to hide horrible body odor (no frequent baths, no deodorant) and mask the stench of rotting meat.  No fridge, no ziploc bags, just pick out the colored spots and maggots and enjoy with salt.