Need or Addiction

Appears in
Pepper
Pepper

By Christine McFadden

Published 2008

  • About
Why do we like pungent foods? Is it need or addiction? As far as need goes, we read that pepper was used in pre-refrigeration days to mask the unwholesome flavour of less-than-fresh food (an issue hotly disputed by food historians). We also know that pepper was, and still is, traditionally used as a medicine, that it gets the digestive juices going and helps control unwelcome bacteria and moulds. The chilli has similar health-giving properties.

Both piperine and capsaicin promote sweating which in turn has a cooling effect. The typically pungent dishes of hot countries are therefore not only cultural – the beads of sweat they bring to the brow are essential for comfort. It’s no accident that street vendors in India and Mexico sell cooling snacks of sliced fruit sprinkled with pepper or chilli.