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.

凭直觉我们都了解一个事实：红色的糖果是所有糖果中最好吃的。所谓的红色，是指红色系的各种颜色——其中也包括粉色。就算我们对红色糖果真实的味道并不甚喜欢——草莓味，樱桃味，又或者是西瓜味？——对我们来说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.

我们可能会思考，这其中原因为何？Slate杂志对市场学专家和心理学专家进行了采访，据他们所说，处于多种原因，基于味道和颜色的影响，我们总会将红色和粉色作为自己的第一选择。

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，红色的水果是所有水果中含酸性物质最少的，因此红色就成为了最无害的颜色。第二，人们通常认为，红色的糖果更加甜美。研究证明，与糖分相同的其他颜色的糖果相比，人们会感觉红色糖果的甜度高出了10%。牛津大学的心理学家Charles Spence对Slate杂志解释说，这是因为，在自然界中，红色往往意味着果实成熟，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.  

所以说糖果公司干嘛劳神费力去生产其他颜色的糖果呢？——有其他颜色的点缀，会让红色糖果看起来不那么单调。Spence解释说。

（翻译：小木）