We all instinctually know it to be true: red candy is the best flavor of all the candies. And by red, we mean all shades of red ― that includes pink, too. Even if we can’t say what exact flavor red candy is ― strawberry, cherry, watermelon, perhaps? ― it’s the one that feels superior to most of us.
憑直覺我們都了解一個事實：紅色的糖果是所有糖果中最好吃的。所謂的紅色，是指紅色系的各種顏色——其中也包括粉色。就算我們對紅色糖果真實的味道并不甚喜歡——草莓味，櫻桃味，又或者是西瓜味？——對我們來說它依然是最棒的糖果。

Why, we wondered, is this the case? Well, according to marketing experts and psychologists interviewed by Slate, flavor and color influence our choices in a way that puts red and pink on top for a variety of reasons.
我們可能會思考，這其中原因為何？Slate雜志對市場學專家和心理學專家進行了采訪，據他們所說，處于多種原因，基于味道和顏色的影響，我們總會將紅色和粉色作為自己的第一選擇。

First, it’s the least threatening hue because red-colored fruit tends to be the least acidic of all the fruits. Secondly, red candy is thought to be sweeter. Apparently, it is perceived to taste 10 percent sweeter than other colored candies, despite having the same sugar content. Charles Spence, a University of Oxford psychologist, explained to Slate that the reason for this is because in nature, red often indicates ripeness and sweetness.
首先，紅色的水果是所有水果中含酸性物質最少的，因此紅色就成為了最無害的顏色。第二，人們通常認為，紅色的糖果更加甜美。研究證明，與糖分相同的其他顏色的糖果相比，人們會感覺紅色糖果的甜度高出了10%。牛津大學的心理學家Charles Spence對Slate雜志解釋說，這是因為，在自然界中，紅色往往意味著果實成熟，且十分甜美。

So why do candy companies bother with the other flavors? Because people like options ― it makes them feel less bored, explains Spence. ?
所以說糖果公司干嘛勞神費力去生產其他顏色的糖果呢？——有其他顏色的點綴，會讓紅色糖果看起來不那么單調。Spence解釋說。

（翻譯：小木）

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