Synonyms
Definition
Foods eaten with more spices are found more often in hot climates. Some suggest that the use of spices by humans may be an evolutionary adaptation to fight against food poisoning.
Introduction
Spices are “dried, fragrant, aromatic or pungent plant substances … that contribute flavor, whose primary function in food is seasoning rather than nutrition, and that may contribute relish or piquancy to food or beverages” (Farrell 1998, p. 17). Spices include pepper, onions, garlic, parsley, and so on. Although spices are now easily obtainable all over the world, there is a common tendency to relate spices to some cuisines more than others. A few notable examples are the “spicy” foods of India, Mexico, and Indonesia, whereas Swedish, British, and Russian foods are not known to be particularly “spicy.” Even a cursory glance reveals an interesting pattern: there would appear to be some correlation between spiciness of the cuisine and the climate...
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References
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Jong, A. (2017). Climate and Use of Spices. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2954-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2954-1
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