---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cornell researcher Sherman theorized the…"
description: "\"“Cornell researcher Sherman theorized the antimicrobial properties of these spices is one of the reasons humans like the taste of spicy food. Foods coo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/sarah-lohman-86057_natural-selection_cornell-researcher-sherman-theorized-the_764837.jpg"
---

#  Cornell researcher Sherman theorized the antimicrobial…

![“Cornell researcher Sherman theorized the antimicrobial properties of these spices is one of the reasons humans like the taste of spicy food. Foods cooked with these spices were better preserved, and in a time before refrigeration, the people who ate them were at a lower risk of food-borne illness…” quote by Sarah Lohman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/sarah-lohman-86057_natural-selection_cornell-researcher-sherman-theorized-the_764837.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/sarah-lohman-86057_natural-selection_cornell-researcher-sherman-theorized-the_764837.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/sarah-lohman-86057_natural-selection_cornell-researcher-sherman-theorized-the_764837.jpg)

> ““Cornell researcher Sherman theorized the antimicrobial properties of these spices is one of the reasons humans like the taste of spicy food. Foods cooked with these spices were better preserved, and in a time before refrigeration, the people who ate them were at a lower risk of food-borne illness. They were healthier and lived longer than people who did not consume spicy food, so they had more children. Natural selection favored those who ate spicy food, because they survived, and the preference for spicy food became a dominant trait in humanity. A””

[Sarah Lohman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lohman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Spice consumption may have offered antimicrobial benefits, influencing human preference and evolutionary advantage.

**In simple terms:** Spices may help preserve food and affect evolution.

Key Takeaway

Consider how diet shapes health and evolution.

Themes

evolution nutrition culture health selection

Mood

analytical curious

Type

historical scientific

When to use this quote

- historical food preservation
- modern culinary trends
- public health nutrition
- evolutionary biology
- food safety

Key Concepts

antimicrobial properties natural selection dietary preference

Questions to Reflect On

- How do current food technologies affect traditional dietary preferences?
- What other foods might have shaped human evolution?

A Different Perspective

Modern refrigeration reduces the survival advantage of spicy foods.

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[Cooked Spices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooked-spices-5923630/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Natural selection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-selection/) [Preference Spicy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preference-spicy-5923628/) [Spices Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spices-reasons-5923627/) [Spicy food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spicy-food/) [Taste Spicy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taste-spicy-5923629/)

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