Thailand: Why Spicy Food comes from Hot Places

I've haven't been to Thailand (yet), but Thai food is one of my absolute favorites.  I love it in part because of the flavor, and in part because of the spice.  My favorite dish is "Drunken Noodles," and I'm convinced anyone who hasn't had Thai food before should start there.  In fact, if you want to try it for yourself, I've even got a link to a recipe.

Img Courtesy of Noel Barnhurst

Note that the first line of the page says, "There isn't a drop of alcohol in this dish - the name refers to how much you'll want to drink to combat the heat.  We suggest a nice cold beer or sparkling wine."

The heat is what I'm talking about.  Have you ever noticed that spicy food usually comes from hot climates?  Thailand, India, Mexico.

A few years ago, I heard it was because hot food cools you off.  It sounds a little counter-intuitive at first, but when you think about it, it makes sense.  Hot food makes you sweat.  And sweating is our body's naturally way of cooling off.

An article in the Huffington Post explains that eating ice cream or drinking a cold glass of water will cool your body temporarily... and then you end up right back where you started.  Spicy food, on the other hand, raises your internal temperature and makes you sweat over time, leading to a longer-lasting effect.

When I did my research, I found out there's a second reason behind the "spicy food in hot places" trend.  It has to do with the spices killing germs.

Thailand is located about 14 degrees north of the Equator.  For those of you who don't know, that's close enough for a warm climate year-round.  As National Geographic explains, parasites and food-born illnesses are more common in warm climates  - especially when it comes to meat, which is more susceptible to pathogens.

Spices can actually help to kill those germs and viruses.  Ultimately, it came down to human instinct.  When people cooked bland meals, they were more likely to get sick.  When they cooked with spices, they generally felt better.

That might not be the way you feel when you eat a spicy dish here in the US... but it all comes down to our culture (and climate).

Want to know more?  Leave your comments here, find me on Facebook and Twitter, or email me at rkaye@wmbd.com.

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