Throughout history, spices have been used as preservatives and to cover up the smell or taste of food that is slightly spoiled. The success of some spices led to a magical, ritualized use. and possession of spices was often limited to priests or other powerful members of the community.
- a.Choose a spice and trace its use geographically and historically. What is its common use today?
- b. Spices grow and tend to be used predominantly in warmer climates. Explain.
Spices are the flavoured plant items in terms of root, seeds, flowers and barks which are used as food items and edibles in cooking and medical products. Spices have mostly flavonoids and alkaloids type of phytochemicals. Indian food and traditional medicines constitutes usage of spices important constituents.
Explanation of Solution
Cayenne pepper or capsicum is a spice that originated roughly around 6000 years ago. This spice had been traditionally used by the native South American people. Chili pepper and chocolate was a treat enjoyed by the Aztec royalty. Later, Christopher Columbus brought capsicum back to. Capsicum was used for medicinal purposes in to treat many different ailments such as rheumatism, depression and arthritis. It is now a popular spice in many different cuisines including Mexican, Chinese and Indian cuisine.
Spicy foods tend to be more common in regions that are very hot. There are several reasons for this. The plants grow well in these climates as they are able to fight off many of these pests. In addition, warm weather can slow digestion. Spices can help stimulate the digestive system. Warm weather also leads to faster food spoilage. They can act as an antibacterial and slow spoilage.
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Chapter 8 Solutions
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