If spice is supposed to be a plants method of defence, why does it taste good?
In: Other
Because most spices on their own don’t taste good. If you doubt that, go eat a ghost pepper, a stick of cinnamon, a handful of cardamom pods, or gnaw on a turmeric root. They all taste terrible when eaten by themselves.
“Wait a minute, ABS!” I hear you say, “That’s not how you’re supposed to use spices.” and you are correct about that. Plain and by themselves is how every other animal would be eating a spice though. Only humans combine different things to eat and cook it. That dilutes the defensive chemicals in the plants so they stop being repellent. Other animals can’t do that and instead would take that big bite of peppercorns, spit them out when they burn, and learn that plant is not food.
Latest Answers