Blog: Favoring Salty, Spicy Food Is a Sign Your Ancestors Might Have Been Poor

The Big Mac index is well known as an informal gauge of the economic standards and consumption capacities of countries. But actually, there’s also the pickle index, the lipstick index, and the ultimate indicator from everyday life — the regional food flavors index. What do the saltier, bold-flavored foods in provinces like Hunan, Jiangxi and Shandong, and the clean, light flavors of Jiangsu province say about the relative states of their regional economies?