With their intoxicating spices and complex flavours , Indian curries are enjoyed the world over . Now , in a study of more than 2,000 recipes , scientists have discovered the secret behind curry 's popularity on a molecular level . They claim that unlike Western dishes that tend to pair similar flavours together - such as beer and beef - Indian dishes use at least seven ingredients that do not contain overlapping flavours . Scroll down for video . With their intoxicating spices and complex flavours , Indian curries are enjoyed the world over . Now , in an analysis of more than 2,000 popular recipes , scientists have discovered the secret behind curry 's popularity on a molecular level . Researchers at the Indian Institute for Technology in Delhi looked at how often overlapping flavour compounds were used in a dish 's ingredients . They reviewed of recipes on TarlaDalal.com , studying the subtle molecular-level differences that distinguish the cuisine , according to a report in the Washington Post . 'We found that average flavour sharing in Indian cuisine was significantly lesser than expected , ' researchers wrote . The study found that ingredients such as garam masala and bell peppers are usually teamed up with other ingredients that have no chemical similarity . Out of the 381 cooking ingredients in the world , the research team from that Indian food used 200 in their cuisine . 'Each of the spices is uniquely placed in its recipe to shape the flavor sharing pattern with rest of the ingredients , ' the researchers said . This is in contrast to Western dishes that share like flavours . Chefs , for instance claim that seemingly incongruous ingredients , such as chocolate and blue cheese , can taste good together because they share similar compounds . A spice commonly used in curry could help erase bad memories , according to a study . Curcumin , a bright-yellow compound found in the root of the Indian spice turmeric , prevented new fear memories being stored in the brain , and also removed pre-existing fear memories , researchers found . It is hoped that the findings will help develop treatments for people suffering with psychological disorders . Psychologists from The City University of New York trained rats to become scared when they heard a particular sound . Scientists assumed the creatures were frightened when they froze . Hours later , when the same sound was played to the rats , those who had been given ordinary food froze . Yet the rats fed the curcumin-rich diet did n't freeze , suggesting their fearful memories had been erased . An example is acetal , which can be found in whiskey , apple juice , orange juice and raw beets . Strawberries , meanwhile , have flavour compounds that match white wine . In Indian dishes , the more overlap two ingredients have in flavour , the less likely they are to appear in the same Indian dish , the scientists said . Researchers believe this makes the dish more tasty as the ingredients each bring their own unique flavour to the dish , rather than simply blending in . Out of the 381 cooking ingredients in the world , the research team from that Indian food uses 200 in their cuisine . 'Each of the spices is uniquely placed in its recipe to shape the flavour sharing pattern with rest of the ingredients , ' the researchers said . Previous research has found curry could actually be good for you , easing arthritis and even protecting people from Alzheimer 's . Most curries contain turmeric , cumin , allspice , cardamon , ginger , garlic and capsicum - spices with strong anti-bacterial properties . This is largely why they 're found in dishes from hot countries , where meat needs to be preserved . Separate studies have found that garlic , cinnamon and cumin can destroy up to 80 per cent of meat-borne bacteria , while ginger can slow bacterial growth by 25 per cent .
Scientists studied the chemical compounds in 2,000 Indian dishes . They found ingredients were teamed together that had no similarity . This is in contrast to many Western dishes that tend to pair flavours . Out of the 381 cooking ingredients in the world , Indian food uses 200 .