Archive of posts with tag 'food'

Kenji's First Person Cooking

June 19, 2020 • #

Weekend Reading: Darwinian Gastronomy, Humboldt, and Taxes

November 16, 2019 • #

๐ŸŒถ Darwinian Gastronomy

Turns out cultures from warmer climates evolved a taste for spicy foods to combat the presence of more diverse bacteria:

Alas, nothing in nature turns out to be that simple. Researchers now suggest that a taste for spices served a vital evolutionary purpose: keeping our ancestors alive. Spices, it turns out, can kill poisonous bacteria and fungi that may contaminate our food. In other words, developing a taste for these spices could be good for our health. And since food spoils more quickly in hotter weather, itโ€™s only natural that warmer climates...