Many believe that countries with hot weather use spicy food to prevent infections. However, research by scientists at the National University of Australia denies this theory.
A group of researchers, led by Professor Lindell Bromham, examined more than 33,000 recipes from 70 cuisines that contained 93 different spices.
“The theory is that spicy foods help people survive in hot climates, where the risk of infection from food can come at a great cost in terms of health and survival,” Bromham said.
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According to the study, published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, this theory is not sustainable.
“Our analysis provides no clear reason to believe that this is primarily a cultural adaptation to reduce the risk of food infection.”
The scientists found that frequent consumption of spicy foods is associated, on the contrary, with a high risk of death, not only from poisoning, but also from other non-food-related causes.
According to experts, this does not mean that spicy food reduces life expectancy. On the other hand, there are many socioeconomic indicators that can correlate with frequent consumption of spices.