One of my favorite facts about plant evolution is that most plants we use as spices evolved their particular tastes specifically as a *deterrent* to predation. And then, like usual, humans ruined everything.
Like, capsaicin (the chemical in spicy peppers that makes them spicy) can't be tasted by birds, only mammals. Spicy peppers evolved this specifically to discourage predation by mammals (who can't distribute seeds very far) and to instead selectively encourage predation by birds.
Garlic, onions, and other pungent roots evolved their tastes specifically to taste bad to animals so that the plants can keep their stores of nutrition safe underground through the winter.
Pepper (like ground pepper) is actually a stonefruit and the seed itself is spicy to discourage animals from biting directly into it and killing the seed, instead encouraging animals to swallow the seed whole in order to spread it. Then humans invented pepper grinders.
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