為什么大多數(shù)美國人和歐洲人不能像印度人那樣吃辛辣的食物?
Why can't most Americans and Europeans eat spicy food like Indians?
譯文簡介
網(wǎng)友：辣椒/胡椒所帶來的“辣味”只是印度香料中的一小部分。正確比例的印度香料可以產(chǎn)生奇妙的效果。像香菜籽（胡荽）/孜然、姜黃（黃姜）這樣的基本三種印度香料絕對不辣。它們不含任何辣椒素。
正文翻譯
Toma? Vargazon
Let’s talk about capsaicin , the stuff that makes foods taste spicy.
讓我們來談談辣椒素，這種物質使食物嘗起來很辣。
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We need to discuss two issues, the first is why it’s so omnipresent in Indian food and why people unused to spicy tastes don’t like it. Capsaicin tastes hot because it, by a quirk of random chance, binds to our heat receptors and lowers the treshold for “hot” signal. In effect it acts as a jammer and causes the sensation of “hot” to fire at normal body temperatures. The heat you feel when eating spicy foods is just your senses misfiring, because of an otherwise harmless chemical. You aren’t being burned or anything, you’re experiencing the sensation of being burnt at normal temperatures already. Clearly not everyone wants to have the feeling of having liquid silver poured into their mouth, then come out the other side a day or so later. These people don’t enjoy spicy foods, obviously.
這里有兩個問題需要討論，第一個是為什么在印度食物中如此普遍，以及為什么不習慣辛辣口味的人不喜歡它。辣椒素因為一種偶然的機遇，與我們的熱感受器結合，降低了“辣”的信號閾值，所以嘗起來很辣。實際上，它起到了干擾器的作用，使得在正常體溫下產(chǎn)生“辣”的感覺。吃辛辣食物時感受到的熱量只是你的感官誤導了，因為這是一種無害的化學物質。你并沒有被燒傷或其他什么，你只是在正常的溫度下經(jīng)歷著被燒傷的感覺。顯然，并不是每個人都想感受到液態(tài)銀被倒進口中，然后一兩天后再從另一端出來的感覺。這些人顯然不喜歡辛辣食物。
這里有兩個問題需要討論，第一個是為什么在印度食物中如此普遍，以及為什么不習慣辛辣口味的人不喜歡它。辣椒素因為一種偶然的機遇，與我們的熱感受器結合，降低了“辣”的信號閾值，所以嘗起來很辣。實際上，它起到了干擾器的作用，使得在正常體溫下產(chǎn)生“辣”的感覺。吃辛辣食物時感受到的熱量只是你的感官誤導了，因為這是一種無害的化學物質。你并沒有被燒傷或其他什么，你只是在正常的溫度下經(jīng)歷著被燒傷的感覺。顯然，并不是每個人都想感受到液態(tài)銀被倒進口中，然后一兩天后再從另一端出來的感覺。這些人顯然不喜歡辛辣食物。
Now as to why it’s so present in India and elsewhere. That’s because of its biological function in plants, it’s an antimicrobial agent. Capsaicin defends plans against microbal infections and, since microbes that devour plants aren’t that different from microbes that devour meat, marinating meat in capsaicin-rich marinade protects it from rotting. That’s why Indian food are so commonly meats marinated in a spicy sauce, it’s a way to keep meat edible over a prolonged period of time without refrigiration. In Europe ice was available every year but spicy plants weren’t. Indians used chemical means instead.
現(xiàn)在來談談為什么它在印度和其他地方如此普遍。這是因為在植物中它具有生物學功能，它是一種抗微生物劑。辣椒素能保護植物免受微生物感染，而且，由于吃植物的微生物與吃肉的微生物并沒有太大區(qū)別，所以在富含辣椒素的腌料中腌制肉類可以防止腐爛。這就是為什么印度食物中經(jīng)常有用辛辣醬腌制的肉類，這是一種在不需要冷藏的情況下延長肉類可食用期的方法。在歐洲，每年都有冰，但是辛辣植物卻不常見。印度人選擇了化學手段。
現(xiàn)在來談談為什么它在印度和其他地方如此普遍。這是因為在植物中它具有生物學功能，它是一種抗微生物劑。辣椒素能保護植物免受微生物感染，而且，由于吃植物的微生物與吃肉的微生物并沒有太大區(qū)別，所以在富含辣椒素的腌料中腌制肉類可以防止腐爛。這就是為什么印度食物中經(jīng)常有用辛辣醬腌制的肉類，這是一種在不需要冷藏的情況下延長肉類可食用期的方法。在歐洲，每年都有冰，但是辛辣植物卻不常見。印度人選擇了化學手段。
That’s why Indian cuisine is spicy and that’s why most Europeans are not used of it. Some love it though, I personally like my food to be a little spicy at times, when used correctly it adds enormously to flavor. There are plenty of people who consider spices to “mask” the flavor of the dish, then use salt freely. Salt does the same thing to the dish as capsaicin does. Adding aromatic spices is no different sauteeing onions before adding meat to the pan. It’s just a different approach to accomplish the same thing: creating an enjoyable dish.
這就是為什么印度菜很辣，也是為什么大多數(shù)歐洲人不習慣辣味的原因。然而，有些人卻很喜歡，我個人有時候也喜歡我的食物稍微辣一點，當辣椒素被正確使用時，它可以極大地增添風味。有很多人認為香料會“掩蓋”菜肴的味道，所以會自由使用鹽。鹽對菜肴的作用與辣椒素相似。添加芳香的香料和在鍋里加肉之前先炒洋蔥是沒有什么區(qū)別的。只是采用了不同的方法來實現(xiàn)同樣的目標：創(chuàng)造一個美味的菜肴。
這就是為什么印度菜很辣，也是為什么大多數(shù)歐洲人不習慣辣味的原因。然而，有些人卻很喜歡，我個人有時候也喜歡我的食物稍微辣一點，當辣椒素被正確使用時，它可以極大地增添風味。有很多人認為香料會“掩蓋”菜肴的味道，所以會自由使用鹽。鹽對菜肴的作用與辣椒素相似。添加芳香的香料和在鍋里加肉之前先炒洋蔥是沒有什么區(qū)別的。只是采用了不同的方法來實現(xiàn)同樣的目標：創(chuàng)造一個美味的菜肴。
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Capsicum peppers are relatively new to Indian cuisine, being native to tropical America. Before chillis, other spices served the purpose.
辣椒是相對較新的印度烹飪原料，原產(chǎn)于熱帶美洲。在辣椒出現(xiàn)之前，其他香料也起到了類似的作用。
Piperine, the ‘hot’ agent in peppercorns (which ARE native to India), performs a similar function as capsaicin. It's just that capsaicin is much stronger than piperine and chilly peppers are more easily grown and in a wider range of areas.
Peppercorns were one of the key spices for which various ‘East India’ companies sprang up in the European countries.
胡椒粒中的“辣”成分——胡椒堿（胡椒素）與辣椒素具有類似的功能。只是辣椒素比胡椒堿更強烈，而且辣椒更容易種植，在更廣泛的地區(qū)都可以種植。
胡椒粒是歐洲各國興起“東印度”公司的關鍵香料之一。
‘Hotness’ through chillis / pepper is such a small part of Indian spices. Indian spices in correct proportions can do wonders. The basic three Indian spices like Dhania(coriander) / Zeera (cumin), haldi (tumeric) are absolutely not hot in anyway. They do not contain any capsaicin.
辣椒/胡椒所帶來的“辣味”只是印度香料中的一小部分。正確比例的印度香料可以產(chǎn)生奇妙的效果。像香菜籽（胡荽）/孜然、姜黃（黃姜）這樣的基本三種印度香料絕對不辣。它們不含任何辣椒素。
與豆蔻（本身有各種類型）/薄荷/肉桂/藏紅花/丁香/其他許多稀有香料如黑孜然/納格克薩爾/芫荽籽（葫蘆巴）/肉豆蔻葉等等一起，給印度食物帶來獨特的風味。以上香料中沒有一種（除了丁香，它含有少量辣椒素）是“辣”的。這些香料根據(jù)它們被加熱到的基礎油（芥末/葵花等）給食物帶來獨特的風味。這些油本身也給食物帶來獨特的風味，但更重要的是，根據(jù)它們的性質，在不同的溫度下，從不同的香料中釋放出不同數(shù)量的香氣。此外，其他重要的組成部分，如芥末/酸奶、咖喱葉/羅勒葉等，根據(jù)添加這些組成部分的時間和比例發(fā)揮著重要作用。
當西方人將印度香料的復雜性和微妙之處誤解為“辣味”時，這是多么令人遺憾。這絕對是誤導的，甚至對印度廚師是一種侮辱。
They tolerate spicy foods the same way deaf people tolerate loud sounds. They’ve burned out their tasebuds due to years of being exposed to capsaicin. Same reason people go deaf from going to too many rock concerts.
他們容忍辛辣食物的方式就像聾子容忍大聲的聲音一樣。他們的味蕾由于多年暴露于辣椒素而燒壞了。同樣的原因，人們因為參加了太多搖滾音樂會而導致耳聾。
I don't know if this answer passes the logic test. If the claims were true, there would be no spicy cuisines in the colder parts of Europe - yet some cuisines are mild and some are very spicy (like Hungarian cuisine). I know it probably developed in Asia, but it was in the cold steppe environment of Asia rather than in tropical or subtropical Asia where Hungarian cuisine was born.
我不知道這個答案是否經(jīng)得起邏輯檢驗。如果這些說法屬實，那么歐洲寒冷地區(qū)就不會有辛辣的美食了 - 然而一些美食是溫和的，一些則非常辛辣（比如匈牙利美食）。我知道它可能起源于亞洲，但是匈牙利美食誕生在亞洲寒冷的草原環(huán)境中，而不是熱帶或亞熱帶地區(qū)。
Hungarian cuisine (as we know it now) was born in the Carpathian basin, after having been contacted with Turkish cuisine.
Red pepper (paprika) was called “Turkish pepper” in the 16th century.
Now, it is part of almost any Hungarian dish (I am exaggerating, somewhat. We do not put paprika into pasta with poppy seeds. Other than that, virtually to anything (of course, I am exaggerating again)).
匈牙利美食（就我們現(xiàn)在所知）誕生于喀爾巴阡盆地，與土耳其美食接觸后才產(chǎn)生。16世紀紅辣椒（辣椒）被稱為“土耳其辣椒”?，F(xiàn)在，幾乎每道匈牙利菜肴都有辣椒的成分（我有些夸張。我們不會在夾有罌粟籽的面食中放辣椒。除此之外，幾乎每一種菜肴都有（當然，我有些夸張））。
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In Europe food is traditionally preserved by drying, salting and fermenting it.
在歐洲，食物傳統(tǒng)上是通過晾干、腌制和發(fā)酵來保存的。
I thought very hot chilli / spices can burn your skin but maybe that’s caused by something other than the capsaicin? Even if your mouth isn’t actually burning, you can have some very unpleasant and real effects such as red face, streaming eyes and problems on the toilet!
我認為非常辣的辣椒/香料可能會灼傷你的皮膚，但也許這是由于除了辣椒素之外的其他原因？即使你的嘴并沒有真正感到灼熱，你也可能會出現(xiàn)一些非常不愉快和真實的影響，比如面部潮紅、流眼淚和上廁所時的問題！
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Capsaicin applied to skin produces a burning sensation via activation of pain receptors, so the mechanism is similar to “spicy” mouth sensation. The effects on the skin are exploited to reduce pain, presumably through exhausting pain receptor response hence a relative analgesia is experienced.
將辣椒素涂抹在皮膚上會通過激活痛覺受體產(chǎn)生灼燒感，因此其機制類似于“辛辣”的口感。對皮膚的影響被利用來減輕疼痛，可能是通過耗盡痛覺受體的反應，因此會感受到相對的止痛作用。
As far as I have observed, the closer a country is located to the equator, the spicer their cuisine. This makes sense because if the weather stays hot year round, hot chillies can be used as preservatives for extending the shelf life of cooked foods.
據(jù)我觀察，一個國家距離赤道越近，他們的菜肴就越辣。這是有道理的，因為如果天氣全年保持炎熱，辣椒可以用作延長熟食保質期的防腐劑。
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If you spend time eating spicy foods, you build up a tolerance to them and can than eat and enjoy hotter food.
Yes, that is a thatched cottage English county pub, probably dating to about 1500, with a curry restaurant. The UK has had a long exposure to Indian food. The Mediterranean can and does grow chillies, which have been incoperated into their cuisine. Chilli ( with beef, with or without beans) is a spicy staple of the US.
Whereas Iceland, for example, has not had a long exposure to seriously spicy food. Fermented shark and such like, yes, but not hot spices.
如果你花時間吃辛辣的食物，你就會對它們產(chǎn)生耐受性，然后就可以吃和享受辛辣的食物了。
是的，那是一個茅草屋式的英國鄉(xiāng)村酒吧，可能可以追溯到1500年左右，還有一家咖喱餐廳。英國長期以來一直受到印度食品的影響。地中海地區(qū)可以而且確實種植辣椒，辣椒已經(jīng)融入了他們的飲食中。辣椒(加牛肉，加或不加豆類)是美國的辛辣主食。
然而，以冰島為例，它并沒有長期接觸到辛辣的食物。發(fā)酵過的鯊魚之類的可以，但不要用辛辣的香料。
Spicy food is not necessarily hot. Spices add flavour, chilled add heat. Indians typically have spicy food but rarely hot except a few regions like Kolhapur and Chettinad.
辛辣食物不一定是辣的。香料增添了味道，辣椒增加了辛辣。印度人通常吃辛辣食物，但很少吃辣，除了一些地區(qū)像科爾哈普爾和切蒂納德。
Some of us can. When I make tacos, I like to put a fist full of serranos and one minced habanero in the meat as I’m cooking it.
However, most Americans don’t go for that. Why? It’s cultural. Much of American culture is derived from northern and western European culture and that includes a history of relatively mild spicing. They didn’t get access to Capsicum until after Columbus did his thing, and while black pepper was around, it tended to be expensive and it’s a milder and different heat. Also, the climate in those regions is more favorable to food storage than say Thailand or southern India, so the preservative abilities of picante spices were less important. A whole lot of people in America are used to bland. Some of us have had a desire to try something different and found we like the burn. Most have not.
我們中的一些人可以。當我做玉米卷時，我喜歡在煮肉的時候放一把切碎的墨西哥辣椒和一個切碎的哈巴涅羅辣椒。
然而，大多數(shù)美國人不喜歡這樣。為什么？這是文化的原因。美國的許多文化源自北歐和西歐的文化，這包括了較溫和的調味歷史。他們直到哥倫布完成他的事業(yè)后才接觸到辣椒，而黑胡椒雖然存在，但價格昂貴，而且辣度也較低，味道也不同。此外，這些地區(qū)的氣候更有利于食物存儲，而不像泰國或印度南部那樣，因此，辛辣香料的保鮮能力就不那么重要了。美國有很多人習慣了淡味。我們中的一些人想嘗試一些不同的東西，發(fā)現(xiàn)我們喜歡這種刺激。但大多數(shù)人沒有。
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That’s an interesting question. I used to love really hot food, especially hot Chinese food, like Hunan. I also loved very hot, spicy Mexican food. As I have gotten older I don’t care for it as much. It’s not that it upsets my system; it doesn’t. I can still eat hot food. I just don’t particularly desire it, as I used to. The tastes of many women change after menopause and I suppose that’s what happened to me.
這是一個有趣的問題。我過去非常喜歡非常辣的食物，特別是中國的湖南菜和墨西哥的辣椒食物。隨著年齡的增長，我對辣味的喜愛并沒有那么強烈了。并不是說它會影響我的身體；事實并非如此。我仍然可以吃辣的食物。只是我不再像過去那樣特別渴望它了。許多女性在絕經(jīng)后的味覺也會發(fā)生變化，我想我也是這樣。
Anyone can build a tolerance to capsaicin (the active ingredient in chili peppers).
The reason much food from countries with hot climates is spicy (both many flavours and chili) is due to antibacterial effects of these. So food like this will last longer in the warm climate.
In the northern hemisphere the access to this type of antibactericides is less common, so we used salt as our primary method of conservation.
And one more thing: Flavours/chili alsomakes you feel full faster, which is really cool if you don’t have access to much calories.
任何人都可以增加對辣椒素（辣椒中的活性成分）的耐受性。
熱帶國家的食物很多都是辣的（包括多種口味和辣椒），這是因為辣椒具有抗菌作用。因此，這類食物在溫暖的氣候中能夠保存更長時間。
在北半球，這種抗菌劑的獲取不太常見，所以我們使用鹽作為主要的保存方法。
還有一件事：食物的味道/辣椒也會讓你感覺更快飽，如果你沒有太多熱量的話，這真的很酷。
We can.
It is just that we do not want to. We rather taste the genuine tastes of the ingredients of the food and compose a symphony of tastes, rather than building wasabi bombs. Spices effectively mask all the original taste of the ingredients and you taste nothing else but the spices.
我們是可以吃辣的。
只是我們不想吃。我們更愿意品嘗食材本身的真正味道，組合出一種味覺的交響樂，而不是制造芥末炸彈。香料會有效地掩蓋食材的原始味道，你嘗到的只有香料。
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Erm, chillies originated in the Anericas. Do you know how they reached Asia? Europeans, specifically Portuguese, took their cuisine there and bingo, you too can spice up your life.
Yes, I know other spices are capable of producing something of a tingling ring of fire and that they were available to Indian cuisine but you really really do owe a debt of gratitude to those colonisers for the truly burning experience.
嗯，辣椒起源于美洲。你知道它們是怎么傳入亞洲的嗎？歐洲人，具體來說是葡萄牙人，將他們的烹飪帶到了那里，嘿，你也可以給你的生活增添一些辣味。
是的，我知道其他香料也能產(chǎn)生火辣的口感，它們也在印度菜中可獲得，但你真的真的應該感謝那些殖民者給了你們這樣真正火辣的體驗。
You mean curries?
Fun fact: Indians don’t really eat spicy curries, they eat curries they can taste and the arse-burners are made for those wankers who think they’re tougher than they are.
你是指咖喱嗎？
有趣的事實是：印度人并不真正吃辣的咖喱，他們吃的是能夠品嘗到味道的咖喱，那些火辣辣的菜是為那些自認為比實際更能吃辣的家伙準備的。
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