> Anyways, grapefruit is number 1 there on the list of smelly smells, but how smelly is grapefruit?
I wouldn't say there is no evolutionary advantage there. Grapefruits are extremely high in compounds that lower the body's metabolism and alter drug absorption. In the wild an otherwise benign ingestion of toxins, concentrated alcohol, or even toxoplasmosis from food poisoning could prove fatal when mixed with these compounds. As a result those chemicals have a distinctly bitter taste and strong aroma.
People developed that detection mechanism because it can prevent death.
I wouldn't say there is no evolutionary advantage there. Grapefruits are extremely high in compounds that lower the body's metabolism and alter drug absorption. In the wild an otherwise benign ingestion of toxins, concentrated alcohol, or even toxoplasmosis from food poisoning could prove fatal when mixed with these compounds. As a result those chemicals have a distinctly bitter taste and strong aroma.
People developed that detection mechanism because it can prevent death.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruit%E2%80%93drug_intera...