What drives people to seek out spicy foods. How does spiciness affect our bodies. Are there health benefits to consuming spicy cuisine. Can spicy food be addictive.

The Science Behind Spiciness: Understanding Capsaicin

At the heart of spicy foods lies a compound called capsaicin. This molecule is responsible for the burning sensation we experience when consuming hot peppers and other fiery foods. But how exactly does it work?

Capsaicin interacts with pain receptors in our mouths and throats, tricking our brains into thinking we’re experiencing actual heat or pain. This triggers a cascade of physiological responses, including:

• Increased heart rate
• Sweating
• Release of endorphins
• Dilation of blood vessels

Is capsaicin harmful to humans? Despite the intense sensation it produces, capsaicin doesn’t cause any actual tissue damage in the concentrations found in food. In fact, it’s often used in topical pain relief products due to its ability to desensitize nerve endings.

The Endorphin Rush: Spicy Food as a Natural High

One of the most compelling reasons people seek out spicy food is the euphoric feeling it can produce. This phenomenon is closely tied to the body’s release of endorphins in response to the perceived “threat” of capsaicin.

Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators. When released, they can produce feelings of pleasure and well-being, similar to the “runner’s high” experienced by athletes. For spice enthusiasts, this endorphin rush becomes part of the appeal of hot foods.

The Addiction Question

Can people become addicted to spicy food? While not a true addiction in the clinical sense, some individuals may develop a strong craving for the sensations associated with spicy foods. This is likely due to a combination of factors:

1. The endorphin release
2. Learned tolerance to capsaicin
3. Cultural and social reinforcement
4. Personal taste preferences

How does tolerance to spicy food develop? Regular exposure to capsaicin can lead to desensitization of pain receptors over time. This means that spice lovers may need to seek out increasingly hot foods to achieve the same sensations they once experienced with milder options.

Health Benefits of Spicy Foods: More Than Just Flavor

Beyond the culinary appeal, research has uncovered numerous potential health benefits associated with consuming spicy foods. These findings may explain why cultures around the world have incorporated hot spices into their traditional cuisines for centuries.

Metabolism Boost and Weight Management

Can spicy food help with weight loss? Some studies suggest that capsaicin may have a modest effect on boosting metabolism and reducing appetite. While not a magic solution for weight management, incorporating spicy foods into a balanced diet could potentially aid in calorie burning and portion control.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties

Many spices, including turmeric, ginger, and chili peppers, contain compounds with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These substances may help protect against cellular damage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Cardiovascular Health

How does spicy food affect heart health? Research indicates that regular consumption of spicy foods may have positive effects on cardiovascular health, including:

• Lowering blood pressure
• Reducing cholesterol levels
• Improving blood flow

These benefits are likely due to the combination of capsaicin’s effects on blood vessels and the antioxidant properties of many spices.

Cultural Significance: Spice as a Global Phenomenon

The love of spicy food transcends individual preferences and has deep roots in many cultures around the world. From the fiery curries of India to the tongue-numbing Sichuan peppercorns of China, spice plays a central role in countless culinary traditions.

Historical Perspectives

Why did spices become so important in many cuisines? Several factors contributed to the widespread adoption of spicy foods:

1. Preservation: Many spices have antimicrobial properties that helped preserve food in hot climates before refrigeration.
2. Medicinal use: Traditional medicine systems often incorporated spices for their perceived health benefits.
3. Trade: The spice trade played a significant role in shaping global economics and cultural exchange.
4. Religious and spiritual significance: Some cultures associate certain spices with religious or spiritual practices.

Modern Spice Trends

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in exploring diverse and intense flavors, leading to a surge in popularity for spicy foods in many Western countries. This trend has manifested in various ways:

• Fusion cuisines incorporating spicy elements from different cultures
• Extreme heat challenges and competitions
• Gourmet hot sauces and artisanal spice blends
• Spicy versions of traditionally mild foods (e.g., spicy ice cream)

The Psychology of Spice: Thrill-Seeking and Personality

The enjoyment of spicy food may be linked to certain personality traits and psychological factors. Research has suggested that individuals who enjoy intense flavors and sensations may share some common characteristics.

Sensation Seeking and Risk-Taking

Do spice lovers tend to be more adventurous? Some studies have found correlations between a preference for spicy foods and traits such as:

• Openness to new experiences
• Thrill-seeking behavior
• Higher tolerance for risk

These connections may explain why some people actively seek out extremely spicy foods as a form of culinary adventure or challenge.

Machismo and Social Pressure

In some cultures, the ability to consume very spicy foods is seen as a sign of toughness or masculinity. This social pressure can lead individuals to push their spice tolerance beyond their natural preferences.

Is there a gender difference in spice tolerance? While individual preferences vary widely, some research suggests that men may be slightly more likely to enjoy very spicy foods than women. However, this difference is relatively small and may be influenced more by cultural factors than biological ones.

Spice Tolerance: Nature vs. Nurture

The ability to enjoy spicy foods is not innate but develops over time through exposure and habituation. Understanding the factors that influence spice tolerance can shed light on why some people seem to have a higher capacity for heat than others.

Genetic Factors

While there’s no single “spice gene,” genetic variations can influence an individual’s sensitivity to capsaicin and other compounds found in spicy foods. These genetic factors may affect:

• The number and distribution of pain receptors
• The body’s response to capsaicin
• Taste perception and preferences

Environmental Influences

Despite genetic predispositions, environment and exposure play a crucial role in developing spice tolerance. Key factors include:

1. Early childhood exposure to spicy foods
2. Cultural norms and dietary habits
3. Personal experiences and associations with spicy flavors
4. Deliberate efforts to increase spice tolerance over time

Can anyone learn to enjoy spicy food? With patience and gradual exposure, most people can increase their tolerance for spicy foods. However, individual preferences and sensitivities will always vary.

The Downsides of Spice: When Heat Becomes Harmful

While moderate consumption of spicy foods is generally safe for most people, there are potential risks associated with excessive intake or extreme levels of heat.

Digestive Issues

Spicy foods can exacerbate symptoms in individuals with certain digestive conditions, including:

• Acid reflux and GERD
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Peptic ulcers

Additionally, very spicy foods can cause temporary digestive discomfort even in healthy individuals, leading to symptoms like heartburn, nausea, and diarrhea.

Oral and Esophageal Health

Frequent consumption of extremely spicy foods may potentially lead to:

• Increased sensitivity of the oral mucosa
• Aggravation of existing mouth sores or ulcers
• In rare cases, damage to the esophageal lining

Allergic Reactions

While true allergies to capsaicin are rare, some individuals may experience allergic reactions to specific spices or peppers. Symptoms can range from mild (e.g., itching, hives) to severe (e.g., anaphylaxis).

How can you safely enjoy spicy foods? Moderation is key. Start with milder options and gradually increase heat levels as your tolerance builds. Be aware of your body’s reactions and any underlying health conditions that may be aggravated by spicy foods.

The Future of Spice: Trends and Innovations

As interest in spicy foods continues to grow, we’re seeing exciting developments in both culinary applications and scientific research related to capsaicin and other spicy compounds.

Culinary Innovations

Chefs and food scientists are pushing the boundaries of spice in various ways:

• Development of new hybrid pepper varieties with unique flavor profiles
• Exploration of lesser-known spices from around the world
• Creation of complex spice blends that balance heat with other flavors
• Incorporation of spicy elements into unexpected dishes and cuisines

Medical and Scientific Research

Ongoing studies are investigating potential applications for capsaicin and other spice-derived compounds in areas such as:

1. Pain management
2. Cancer treatment
3. Weight loss and metabolic health
4. Cardiovascular disease prevention

What new discoveries about spicy foods might we see in the coming years? As research continues, we may uncover additional health benefits or novel uses for capsaicin and other spice-derived compounds. These findings could further influence dietary recommendations and culinary trends.

In conclusion, the human fascination with spicy foods is a complex interplay of biology, psychology, culture, and personal preference. From the rush of endorphins to the potential health benefits, there are many reasons why people seek out and enjoy spicy cuisines. As our understanding of the science behind spiciness grows, we may discover even more intriguing aspects of this global culinary phenomenon.

Why Do People Like Spicy Food?

‘It isn’t hot enough unless I’m covered in sweat while eating’. A friend made this statement after eating her favorite Melinda’s hot sauce with her meal. Why do we like spicy food so much? There is an excellent reason for obsessing over spicy food. Because eating spicy can cause your body –pituitary gland and hypothalamus specifically, to release endorphins. Endorphins can be known as a trigger happy chemical, which gives you an instant feeling of pleasure from head to toe. People crave the spiciness of food just the same way they crave something sweet or salty. 

The use of spicy food to feel pleasure can seem a bit similar to drug addiction. Experts have said there is no harm in enjoying the burn, and the bliss accompanying it. Chemical food tastes hot because of the synthesized molecules, such as capsaicin which excites the pain receptors on your tongue that are linked to the sensation of temperature. Spicy food lovers aren’t born with an affinity for spicy foods. It is instead acquired over time.

The benefits of spicy food continue to grow at a speed that is break necking. Consumption of spicy foods in various forms is becoming increasingly popular — spices like cinnamon, ginger, garlic, cumin, as well as chili host many health benefits.

Spicy Food Aids in Longevity

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When you eat a spicy food every day for six or seven days per week, your mortality rate lowers by 14 percent. This fact was from a study carried out by Harvard and China National Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Spicy Food Hastens Up Your Metabolism

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Data from studies worldwide shows that certain spices, for example, cumin, cinnamon, peppers, turmeric, and chilies, can raise your metabolism resting rate as well as reduce your appetite. In your weight loss journey, spicing your food up should be given a trial.

Spicy Food Also Combats Inflammation And May Even Help In Fighting Cancer Cells.

The health benefits, as well as heat, comes from the chemical capsaicin. The capsaicin acts as an anti-irritant in the digestive tract. For example, pepper powder is beneficial for patients that have an ulcer, and it heals an upset stomach. It also reduces intestinal gas, cures diarrhea and acts as a natural remedy for cramps

Spicy Food Also Promotes A Healthy Heart.

It dilates the blood vessel to aid in blood flow. It leads to a decrease in blood pressure.

Spicy Food Mitigates Migraines. 

When you consume spicy food, your body becomes desensitized to the migraine, and the overall sensation of the pain is lessened.

Spicy Food Can Boost The Production Of Feel-Good Hormones Such As Serotonin.

They help to ease depression and stress. What could be a side effect of overeating spicy food? It may increase breakouts which lead to acne. You can also get heartburn from overeating spicy food. For fans of hot wings, curries, chili and other flamin’ foods, keep the flag of spicy hotness flying.

why do some people like spicy food?

Spicy foods are meant to discourage us from eating them. However, humans stand apart from other animals in that we sometimes seek these items to eat specifically because they’re spicy. Exactly why we do this is unclear, but it’s likely a combination of factors ranging from potential health benefits to cultural norms and personal preference.

Image credits Chris Hilbert.

Do you enjoy doing things that hurt your tongue? Have you ever thought “man, I’d like to feel my mouth on fire!”? Do you get excited at the prospect of hot wings so hot that they make your very soul tremble? If yes, let me just say that I cannot, for the life of me, sympathize with you. I like my meals like I like my car: not burning.

But that’s not a universal preference among people, which raises an interesting point — why do some people like spicy food? On the face of it, it doesn’t make any sense. We know certain plants use chemical defenses against pests and pathogens, chemicals that also give them unique qualities like flavor or taste. Some are milder, like onions, garlic, or pepper. Others will have you in tears, gagging for life, hoping for death. And yet, we keep coming back for seconds. Sometimes we even go to events to see who can withstand the spiciest foods.

In short, although these plants contain substances specifically to make us not want them, we seek them out, specifically. We don’t really know why, but we do have some ideas, and we’re going to talk about those today.

What makes a spice, what makes it spicy?

We’ve talked about spices before here on ZME Science, but mostly from a historical standpoint. In more practical terms, spices are plant products (apart from their leaves, stems, and flowers, which are referred to as ‘herbs’) that can impart taste, flavor, or color to a meal.

They aren’t very common, all things considered. Their special properties were most likely formed because these plants had to contend with environmental pressures such as parasites, predators, or diseases. They became spices through chemical warfare. Since each species had its own issues to contend with, there is a very wide range of substances they employ. We collectively know these plants as spices, but we also make a distinction between them and things that are ‘spicy’.

A good example are peppers. Bell peppers are a spice, they’re the main ingredient in paprika, but they’re not spicy. Jalapeño peppers can be a spice, but they’re definitely very spicy. The difference between these two terms is more of a subjective one. Things that ‘are spicy’ contain substances that are particularly irritating or unpleasant to us as humans. They’re tailored to offend our bodies in particular.

Not all spices are spicy. Image via Pixabay.

In the case of spicy peppers, that substance is capsaicin. It will make your eyes water, but it wouldn’t have much effect on a bird. We think it comes down to the fact that pepper seeds can’t survive the strong acids in the mammalian gut, but they can make it through a birds’ intestines unscathed. In a bid to help spread their seeds, the theory goes, peppers developed capsaicin to keep mammals away but allow birds to peck away unscathed. We were the intended target for their chemical war effort.

Why people like spices, in general, isn’t very hard to wrap your head around: the flavors they contain are interesting and make meals more enjoyable. Why people like things that are spicy, on the other hand, is a bit more nebulous. Especially so because their spiciness was designed specifically to make us not like them.

Maybe it’s because they make food safe

Evolutionary biologists like to view the traits and behaviors of individual species as elements that help them navigate their environments — like skills that you acquire in time to fulfil your needs. On the one hand, this means that certain plants had a reason to become spices, and we’ve talked about that just now. But on the other hand, it would also mean that we have an evolutionary need to consume spices, or else we wouldn’t.

A paper (Sherman, Billing) published back in 1999 sums up that idea quite nicely in its headline: “Darwinian Gastronomy: Why We Use Spices: Spices taste good because they are good for us“. The authors looked at the use of spices in traditional cuisines across the world from “traditional cookbooks”, comparing this to the natural conditions these cultures developed in.

Their theory was that the use of spice is, at least in part, a pragmatic thing. In warmer climates, they hypothesized, food (meat especially) would spoil quicker and contain more pathogens than in colder climates. The use of spice may well be a subconscious effort to protect ourselves from these, which grew into a cultural preference over time. As we’ve seen before, spices are essentially plant species that use powerful chemicals to protect themselves. The theory, then, is that people mixed these into their foods, in relatively small quantities, to fight off any pathogens in the food — which are a much bigger risk than the chemicals contained in the spices.

Essentially, it’s taking a gamble that the small dose of poison in our food will do more damage to any bacteria or viruses therein than it would do to our bodies.

The authors did find some evidence in support of their hypothesis. The cookbooks from warmer areas mentioned more types of spices overall, and called for more of them to be included in every dish, than those in colder climates. When looking only at meat dishes (meat spoils faster and contains more pathogens than spoiled plant matter), the average number of spices called for by the recipes was 4, and 93% of these recipes called for at least one type of spice. However, Norwegian cookbooks only mentioned 10 different spices and called for 1.6 spices per dish on average. Hungarian cookbooks mentioned up to 21 different spices and called for 3 spices, on average, for each dish.

Certain cuisines are renowned for the amount of spices they typically include. Image via Pixabay.

“But wait!” you cry out, wise to the fact that correlation doesn’t imply causation, “so it doesn’t mean one causes the other just because they occur together”. And, as always, you’re right. This one paper can’t prove that people employ spices against pathogens in foods. It also just happens that most spices today are endemic (native) to warmer areas, as these generally harbor more diverse communities of plants, animals, and the like. So it could simply be a matter of availability. Spices also tended to be extremely expensive or simply not available to many colder regions in the past, so it would make sense their traditional cookbooks won’t mention them, or only do so sparingly.

At the same time, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the hypothesis is wrong, it just means we can’t know for sure. The authors further note that vegetable dishes called for much fewer spices across the board, which would fit well with their hypothesis — since spoiled meat contains more bacteria than spoiled vegetables, it makes sense to use more spices when cooking meats. Furthermore, there is data to support the fact that many spices do have an antimicrobial or antifungal effect. At the same time, many of the most widely-used spices, like pepper, aren’t that great at the job; salt, for example, is more of a bacteria-killer than black pepper. There is also quite a lot unknown about how effective these spices will be at killing pathogens in the concentrations and conditions seen during cooking.

Another point that might help support this view is that predators, even obligate carnivores, will eat small amounts of plant matter. While we don’t exactly understand why (it could be simply to get more fibers and assist in digestion) it is possible that the instinct formed to help these animals destroy some of the bacteria in their food with the chemicals contained in the plants. Kind of like the theory proposes people do with spices.

Maybe it’s because your folks served spicy food

While evolutionary biologists like to treat everything in a very clean, cause-and-effect way, when talking about people’s preferences, there’s always an element of subjectivity. Our tastes, wants, and desires are — at least in part — shaped by what we’ve experienced so far. A food item can be our favorite not through the virtue of its taste alone, but also due to intangibles such as nostalgia, social mores, our personal experiences.

If you’re sensitive to spicy, you can train yourself to become desensitized to it. Through repeated exposure to low dosages of spicy compounds in our childhoods, then, we can acquire both a preference for and a resilience in the face of spicy foods.

This cultural hypothesis has two major limitations. First off, it’s kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy — we like spicy food because we eat spicy food, so we eat more of it. While it may well be true that we acquire a taste for spiciness with exposure to it, it doesn’t explain why or when this behavior started. If eating spicy food is what makes us like spice, why did we start in the first place? This hypothesis doesn’t offer a starting point.

It explains why I’d like spicy currywurst, but not how I’d start to like it. Even if it’s delicious. Image credits Alex Fox.

Secondly, it doesn’t offer an explanation for why people seek increasingly higher levels of spice. Even if we accept, for the sake of the argument, that repeated exposure to spiciness makes us tolerate it better, the fact remains that people often seek out spiciness, especially in cultures that already include it a lot in their cuisine — such as Mexican or Chinese traditions. More to the point, they seek levels of spiciness in excess of what they can already tolerate. If the point is to make the sensation bearable, why do people keep seeking ever stronger burns? It would suggest that their goal isn’t to become accustomed to spicy, rather the sensation itself, or something associated with it. So, after all…

Maybe it’s because we like the burn

Capsaicin can make your mouth hurt a lot. In fact, if you’ve ever bitten into a mean pepper, you know it can make your whole body ache and tremble. You get sweaty, your eyes sting, some crying might be involved. This effect can stay with you for the whole length of your digestive tract (let’s put it that way).

It’s undeniable then that the effect this substance has on us is profoundly unpleasant and temporarily debilitating. And, while keeping in mind that you can die from eating too much capsaicin, it doesn’t actually harm you in any way. What it does, instead, is to trick your body into thinking it’s in danger.

Capsaicin binds to TrpV 1: the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1, more easily rememberable as the vanilloid receptor 1. Despite the name, it’s a receptor that’s quite widespread in your body and whose main function is to keep tabs on and regulate your body temperature. Capsaicin wreaks havoc on TRPV1; it binds to it and activates it. While there’s literally no physical damage to your body when you munch on a pepper, to your nervous system, it looks like your mouth is suddenly, and violently, aflame. This effect is so powerful that our bodies’ response to the illusion — mostly in the form of inflammation and changes in heart rate — can kill us.

It is, after all, a substance designed to keep mammals away.

“Bite me mammal, I dare you!”. Image credits Antonio Jose Cespedes.

And yet, we have chili eating contests, a food containing a lot of capsaicin. We know for a fact that even people who say they like chili in particular are not immune to the burning sensation it produces. A paper published in 1980 (Rozin, Shiller), “The nature and acquisition of a preference for chili pepper by humans” notes that these individuals “come to like the same burning sensation that deters animals and humans that dislike chili; there is a clear hedonic shift [in their preferences]”, which could come down to “association with positive events, including enhancement of the taste of bland foods, postingestional effects, or social rewards”.

Another point they raise, however, one that I find much more entertaining, is that eating spicy foods is a way to toy with danger. Much like a roller coaster, that danger is (pretty much) contained. While we do understand that, on an intellectual level, our bodies don’t make the distinction. The physiological effects of being in danger and/or on fire, such as the rush produced by adrenaline or the feel-good sensation produced by the release of endorphins in our system, are still genuine.

In this light, spicy food can be seen as a facet of human thrill seeking — or what the authors refer to as “enjoyment of ‘constrained risks’”.

That bit about endorphins is also pretty interesting. They are a family of compounds that our bodies use to clamp down on stress and pain when needed. They’re not really a chemical family, more of a pharmacological convention, as several different substances with different structures are endorphins. But function-wise, they work very much like opioid drugs, causing euphoria and a host of other delightful effects, including, as mentioned, pain relief. They’re one of a group of molecules the Internet gleefully knows as the ‘happiness molecule’, alongside serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. It’s a pretty wide group because the Internet, overall, is not a very capable pharmacologist, but there is a kernel of truth at the core of the meme.

Eating spicy foods is a reliable and non-threatening way of squeezing out some of this happy juice from your brain. This would also explain why some people would seek ever-spicier foods to torture themselves with. As they become desensitized to a certain level of spicy, an ever higher threshold is needed to obtain the same endorphin reward.

By itself, this doesn’t really explain why some people are aficionados of spice — if eating spicy food is a painful way of enjoying some pleasure, why isn’t everyone doing it? We don’t know. There is some evidence (Byrnes, Hayes, 2012) that personality traits, especially ones such as thrill-seeking, as well as differences in our individual abilities to perceive substances like capsaicin, have a role to play. Someone who’s psychologically predisposed to taking risks, and has a lower abundance of TrpV 1 receptors on their mouth, I’d imagine, is more likely to engage in such behavior.

At the end of the day, the truth is we don’t know. If I had to take a wager, I’d say that all the hypotheses we’ve talked about today play a part. They’re not mutually exclusive. How much influence they have is, very likely, dependent on who you’re talking with. For some it’s the thrill, and the bragging rights. For others, it’s grandma’s cooking. People are complex, and so are the forces that drive us, so we probably won’t ever be able to tell for sure why any of us — nevermind all of us, as a species — would engage in such a behavior.

But the thing we do know is that, apart from a few species that have evolved specifically to be less sensitive to certain irritants, we are the only ones which seek out food that hurts to eat. Could that be a sign of how far we’ve come, that we’d want to seek a semblance of danger just to feel excited? Or is it the other way around, and such predisposition for risky behavior is what set us on the path to success? Very interesting questions to ponder the next time you’re praying for salvation over a bowl of chili.

This is the psychological reason why people love spicy foods, and Elle Woods would probably relate

As one of those people who douses everything she eats in a light (or, more often than not, generous) layer of hot sauce, I’ve never understood people who tell me that they can’t “handle” spicy foods. Sure, there are some food that are so spicy they might literally kill you, and everyone should probably avoid those. But some people get overwhelmed by the addition of red pepper flakes in a dish, which, to me, seems like just a starting point. So why do some people hate hot sauce and other delectably spicy foods while others, like me, can’t get enough?

The answer is based in science—but not genetics, as many people think. It turns out that there is no such thing as a spice-loving gene, and no one is born loving hot sauce. Instead, affinity for spicy foods is learned, a result of repeated exposure to peppers—specifically capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers taste hot and make your mouth burn. This process of learning to love heat is what Paul Rozin, professor emeritus in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania who basically invented the study of the psychology of disgust, called “benign masochism” in the Washington Post.

Related article: Use smoked paprika and spice up your life

When you eat foods with capsaicin, like chili peppers, certain receptors in your mouth pop off, and that tricks your brain into thinking that your mouth is on fire. As part of your response to this stress, your body will produce endorphins, to help stem the pain of these transmissions. And as Elle Woods from Legally Blonde would say, “Endorphins make you happy!” So when you’re talking about getting a “rush” from hot peppers, you’re generally talking about feeling the endorphins, trying to tamp down the bad feelings. It’s this one-two punch of pain from capsaicin, followed by the rush of endorphins, is how so many people learn to associate hot foods with happy feelings.

Related article: Once you try tomato powder you’ll wonder how you lived without it

What’s interesting is that folks who eat a lot of spicy food don’t have numbed or otherwise inured receptors or taste buds than people who can’t stand the stuff. As Rozin wrote in 1980, “Chili likers are not insensitive to the irritation that it produces. They come to like the same burning sensation that deters animals and humans that dislike chili.” The difference is a “hedonic shift,” meaning that they’re more used to the burning sensation, with stronger associations between pain and pleasure, than those who don’t really eat it. This is why people theorize that those who were exposed to spicy foods in their childhood are more likely to like it. (Rozin’s research also indicates that those with thrill-seeking personalities might be more inclined to go heavy on the hot stuff, which makes sense when you compare the thrill of going on a rollercoaster to that of successfully crushing a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos.)

Related article: Should you buy spices whole or ground?

But this also means that those who hate spice can actually train themselves, over time, to love the stuff. All it takes is a little bit of patience and a small tolerance for discomfort. If you do get in over your head, though, just drink a glass of milk or chug a beer. It’ll be over before you know it. Promise.

This article originally appeared on Extracrispy.com

Why Do We Torture Ourselves With Spicy Foods?

As I write this, my mouth is currently a bit aflame, owing to a side of beans which had been spiced with a hot pepper (serrano, to be precise). Across the world (and across YouTube), people partake in the consumption of spicy – and spiced – foods. On the surface, this behavior seems rather strange owing to the pain and other unpleasant feelings induced by such foods. To get a real quick picture of how unpleasant these food additives can be, you could always try to eat an whole raw onion or spicy pepper, though just imagining the experience is likely enough (just in case it isn’t, YouTube will again be helpful). While this taste for spices might be taken for granted – it just seems normal that some people like different amounts of spicy foods – it warrants a deeper analysis to understand this ostensibly strange taste. Why do people love/hate the experience of eating spicy foods?

Word of caution: don’t touch your genitals afterwards. Trust me.

Source: Clifton Chilli Club

Food preferences do not just exist in a vacuum; the cognitive mechanisms which generate such preferences need to have evolved owing to some adaptive benefits inherent in seeking out or avoiding certain potential food sources. Some of these preferences are easier to understand than others: for example, our taste for certain foods we perceive as sweet – sugars – likely owes its existence to the high caloric density that such foods historically provided us (which used to be quite valuable when they were relatively rare. As they exist in much higher concentrations in the first world – largely due to our preferences leading us to cultivate and refine them – these benefits can now dip over into costs associated with overconsumption and obesity). By contrast, our aversion to foods which appear spoiled or rotten helps us avoid potentially harmful pathogens which might reside in them; pathogens which we would rather not purposefully introduce into our bodies. Similar arguments can be made for avoiding foods which contain toxic compounds and taste correspondingly unpleasant. When such toxins are introduced into our bodies, the typical physiological response is nausea and vomiting; behaviors which help remove the offending material as best we can.

So where do spicy foods fall with respect to what costs they avoid or benefits they provide? As many such foods do indeed taste unpleasant, it is unlikely that they are providing us with direct nutritional benefits the way that more pleasant-tasting foods do. That is to say we don’t like spicy foods because they are rich sources of calories or vital nutrients. Indeed, the spiciness that is associated with such foods represents chemical weaponry evolved on the part of the plants. As it turns out, these plants have their own set of adaptive best interests which often include not being eaten at certain times or by certain species. Accordingly, they develop certain chemical weapons that dissuade would be predators from chowing down (this is the reason that the selective breeding of plants for natural insect resistance ends up making them more toxic for humans to eat as well. Just because pesticides aren’t being used, that doesn’t mean you’re avoiding toxic compounds). Provided this analysis is correct, then, the natural question arises of why people would have a taste for plants that possess certain types and amounts of chemical weaponry designed to prevent their being eaten. On a hedonic level, growing crops of jalapenos seems as peculiar as growing a crop of edible razor blades.

The most likely answer to this mystery comes in the form of understanding what these chemical weapons do not to humans, but rather what they do to the other pathogens that tend to accompany our other foods. If these chemical weapons are damaging to our bodies – as evidenced by the painful or unpleasant tastes that accompany them – it stands to reason they are also damaging to some pathogens which might reside in our food as well. Provided our bodies are better able to withstand certain doses of these harmful chemicals, relative to the microbes in our food, then eating spicy foods could represent a trade-off between the killing food-borne pathogens against the risk of poisoning ourselves. Provided the harm done to our bodies by the chemicals is less than the expected damage done by the pathogens, a certain perverse taste for spicy foods could evolve.

As before, you should still be wary of genital contact with such perverse tastes

Source: sodahead.com

A healthy degree of empirical evidence is consistent with such an adaptive hypothesis from the world over. One of the most extensive data sets focuses on recipes found in 93 traditional cookbooks from 36 different countries across the world (Sherman & Billing, 1999). The recipes in these cookbooks were examined for which of 43 spices were added to meat dishes. Of the approximately 4,500 different meat dishes present in these books, the average number of spices called for by the recipes was 4, with 93% of recipes calling for at least one. Importantly, the distribution of these spices was anything but random. Recipes coming from warmer climates tended to call for a much greater use of spices. The probable reason this finding emerged relates to the fact that, in warmer climates, food – especially meats – which would have been unrefrigerated for most of human history (alien as that idea sounds currently) will tend to spoil quicker, relative to cooler climates. Accordingly, as the degree and speed of spoilage tended to increase in warmer climates, a greater use of anti-microbial spices can be introduced to dishes to help combat food-borne illness. To use one of their examples, the typical Norwegian recipe called for 1.6 spices per dish and the recipes only mentioned 10 different spices; in Hungary, the average number of spices per dish was 3, and up to 21 different spices were referenced. It is not too far-fetched to go one step further and suggest that people indigenous to such regions might also have evolved slightly different tolerances for spices in their meals.

Even more interestingly, those spices with the strongest anti-microbial effects (such as garlic and onions) also tended to be the ones used more often in warmer climates, relative to cooler ones. Among the spices which had weaker effects, the correlation between temperature and spice use ceased to exist. Nevertheless, the most inhibitory spices were also the ones that people tended to use most regularly across the globe. Further, the authors also discuss the trade-off between balancing the fighting of pathogens against the possible toxicity of such spices when consumed in large quantities. A very interesting point bearing on that matter concerns the dietary preferences of pregnant women. While an adult female’s body might be able to tolerate the toxicity inherent in such compounds fairly well, the developing fetus might be poorly equipped for the task. Accordingly, women in their first trimester tend to show a shift in food preferences towards avoiding a variety of spices, just as they also tend to avoid meat dishes. This shift in taste preferences could well reflect the new variable of the fetus being introduced to the usual cost/benefit analysis of adding spices to foods.

An interesting question related to this analysis was also posed by the Sherman & Billing (1999): do carnivorous animals ingest similar kinds of spices? After all, if these chemical compounds are effective at fighting against food-borne pathogens, carnivores – especially scavengers – might have an interest in using such dietary tricks as well (provided they did not stumble upon a different adaptive solution). While animals do not appear to spice their foods the way humans do, the authors do note that vegetation makes up a small portion of many carnivore’s diets. Having owned cats my whole life, I confess I have always found their behavior of eating the grass outside to be quiet a bit odd: not only does the grass not seem to be a major part of a cat’s diet, but it often seems to make them vomit with some regularity. While they present no data bearing on this point, Sherman & Billing (1999) do float the possibility that a supplement of vegetation to their diet might be a variant of that same kind of spicing behavior: carnivores eat vegetation not necessarily for its nutritional value, but rather because of possible anti-microbial benefits. It’s certainly an idea worth examining further, though I know of no research at present to have tackled the matter.

It’s a point I’ll bear in mind next time she’s vomiting outside my window.

Source: canidae.com

I find this kind of analysis fascinating, frankly, and would like to take this moment to mention that these fascinating ideas would be quite unlikely to have stumbled upon without the use of evolutionary theory as a guide. The typical explanation you might get when asking people about why we spice food would typically sound like “because we like the taste the spice adds”; a response as uninformative as it is incorrect, which is to say “mostly” (and if you don’t believe that last part, go ahead an enjoy your mouthfuls of raw onion and garlic). The proximate taste explanation would fail to predict the regional differences in spice use, the aversion to eating large quantities of them (though this is a comparative “large”, as a slice of Jalapeno can be more than some people can handle), and the maternal data concerning aversions to spices during critical fetal developmental windows. Taste preferences – like any psychological preferences – are things which require deeper explanations. There’s a big difference between knowing that people tend to add spices to food and knowing why people tend to do so. I would think that findings like these would help psychology researchers understand the importance of adaptive thinking. At the very least, I hope they serve as food for thought.

References: Sherman, P. & Billing, J. (1999). Darwinian gastronomy: Why we use spices. Bioscience, 49, 453–463.

Why Do People Like Spicy Food? Behind The Love Of Heat

The love of spicy food is a controversial subject for people who take flavor seriously. Few things can divide foodies more than spicy condiments like hot sauce and dishes like Nashville hot chicken. In recent years, the spicy foods have been growing in popularity with the growth of hot condiments like sriracha and ingredients like chipotle peppers. So why do people like spicy food so much? Let’s look at some factors. 

The adrenaline rush

One of the prevailing theories about the popularity of hot peppers is that they trigger a defense response. Your body detects pain when you eat them and reacts to that pain as if it is in trouble, which causes it to release adrenaline. The adrenaline produces a state of excitement that many of us find pleasurable. Basically, eating chili peppers gives us a similar sensation as skydiving and bungee jumping. 

A safe food signal

Some researchers believe that the taste for spicy peppers comes from centuries of using them to preserve foods and defeat food-borne illnesses. Capsaicin is the compound that makes chili peppers hot. It has antimicrobial effects along with its spicy kick. Scientists theorize that heat signals to our brain that food is safe to eat, making the food more desirable.

Evidence that seems to support this includes the fact that spicy foods are more common in hot countries where rapid spoilage is more of an issue. Also, spices like chili pepper get used in meat dishes more than in vegetable ones. The reason for this may be that meat dishes are more likely to spoil quickly. 

Your mom ate spicy food

Some research suggests that our enjoyment of spice might start before birth. The foods a mother eats while pregnant can determine what her baby will like. The flavors we experience as children will also guide our preferences later in life. If you grew up in a home where spicy foods were eaten all the time, you are more likely to enjoy them in adulthood. 

Exposure

Americans now have greater access to foods from all over the world than ever before. People are now able to eat foods from Thailand and India among other places even in parts of the U.S. where spicy food is not a part of the traditional diet. The same goes for Europe, where Indian and even Mexican restaurants can now be found in major cities. The new generation of foodies is far more willing to experiment with truly exotic flavors than were previous generations. 

Deliberate tolerance building

Spicy heat is a taste you acquire like the flavors black coffee and whiskey. You can literally train yourself to tolerate hot pepper by eating it regularly. Do this by starting out with a mild pepper like banana pepper and gradually working your way up to a hot one like a habanero. Some people do this because they see the enjoyment of spicy food as a sign of toughness while others just want to add a new dimension to their food. 

Some people are supertasters, others…not so much

The tolerance for heat can vary dramatically. Some reasons for that might be physiological. Various factors ranging from the papillae on your tongue to genetic factors can influence how you taste your food. One person might detect flavor notes that another person cannot or detect more of them than others. The response to peppery heat is like the response to cilantro in that some people find it deeply unpleasant while others truly enjoy it. 

How To Cool Your Mouth Down After Eating Spicy Food

So, you got a little overconfident and went with extra-hot buffalo sauce for your wings, added too many jalapenos to your nachos or were way too generous with the cayenne pepper while cooking dinner. Or maybe you just had no idea those peanuts were even going to be spicy.

Whether on purpose or not, we’ve probably all bit off more than we could chew, at least a time or two, when it comes to spicy foods.

So is there anything you can do to help cool down your mouth after eating spicy food? Or was your fate sealed with that first bite?

As it turns out, soothing that fire in your mouth starts with understanding the science behind the burn — since it can help you understand what to reach for (and what to avoid) as soon as that burn hits.

What spicy food does to your body

You already know that when your mouth is on fire, it’s not really on fire. It just feels like it is. But why?

While the two may seem unrelated, the burning sensation you feel when eating something spicy is similar to the burning pain you experience when you accidentally touch a hot pan. In response to each, temperature-sensitive pain receptors are triggered — immediately screaming, “This is HOT!” to your brain.

Sensing your skin or mouth is in danger, your brain sends back sensations of pain, hoping to encourage you to stop doing whatever it is you’re doing.

In the case of the hot pan, this pain serves an important purpose — it triggers an immediate reflex to remove your hand before it burns.

In the case of a hot pepper that’s not even actually hot, so to speak, the reason is less obvious.

Hot peppers contain an alkaline, oil-based molecule called capsaicin, which sneakily triggers the temperature-sensitive pain receptors in your mouth even though the molecule itself doesn’t produce heat or cause any real damage (unless you really overdo it).

Once capsaicin triggers these pain receptors, your brain is tricked into thinking your mouth is in danger — cue the burning pain meant to encourage you to stop eating whatever spicy thing you’re eating. 

These pain receptors in your mouth can adjust to the capsaicin’s trickery, though. If you overstimulate these temperature-sensitive receptors by eating spicy food often enough, they’re more likely to become desensitized to capsaicin. This is why people who eat spicy food frequently are able to handle it better than those who don’t — the “burning pain” is dulled for them.

For those who don’t eat spicy food often, the burning sensation is either too much, and you stop eating it altogether, or you try to dull the burn by reaching for something you think might help cool your mouth down.

What helps cool your mouth from spicy food?

So, you ate the hot wings, and now here you are: Frantically searching the internet for some sort of spicy food hack — literally anything to put out the fire spreading through your mouth and keep you from sweating bullets. (Related: Why We Sweat When We’re Hot, as Well as When We’re Not)

Armed with your new knowledge about the science of capsaicin, here are the do’s and dont’s of cooling your mouth down after eating spicy food:

DO reach for some dairy. Many milk-based products contain a protein called casein, which can help break down those capsaicin tricksters. Think of casein as a detergent — attracting, surrounding and helping wash away the oil-based capsaicin molecules floating around your mouth, similar to how soap washes away grease. The catch here is that the dairy product you choose must contain casein to have any chance of cooling your mouth down. Good examples of milk products that contain casein include cow’s milk (not almond, coconut or soy milk), yogurt, cottage cheese or sour cream.

DO drink something acidic. For those who need or want to avoid dairy, don’t fret! You’ve got an option, too: acid. Remember how we said capsaicin is an alkaline molecule? Balancing it with an acid can help neutralize the molecule’s activity. This means drinking or eating something acidic — such as lemonade, limeade, orange juice or a tomato-based food item or drink — may also help cool your mouth down. (Milk is also acidic, by the way.)

DO down some carbs. Starches are filling for a few reasons, one of which being that they typically come with a lot of physical volume. The volume that a starchy food brings can also be advantageous while eating spicy foods since it can help act as a physical barrier between capsaicin and your mouth. To put some starch between this sneaky molecule and your pain receptors, try eating a piece of bread, some rice or a tortilla.

DON’T assume a glass of water will be your salvation. If you take nothing else away, leave with this: Because capsaicin is oil-based, drinking water will basically just spread this molecule around your mouth — setting off even more of your pain receptors. Oops! To help cool your mouth down, skip the glass of water and try one of the options above instead.

DON’T expect alcohol to dull the pain. You’ve seen the old war movies. Before closing an open wound, one soldier pours alcohol on the wound to disinfect it. The wounded soldier then chugs what’s left in the flask. People have been using alcohol to dull pain for a long time. But, just know that the amount of alcohol it takes to effectively reduce pain way exceeds the guidelines for moderate alcohol use. Plus, a lot of alcoholic beverages are really more water than they are alcohol, and, well…see above.

Now that you know the do’s and dont’s of cooling your mouth down after eating spicy food, maybe you won’t need to hold back on the jalapenos and cayenne pepper as often.

Here’s What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Super Hot Peppers

Bill Rebholz for BuzzFeed News

Ed Currie wasn’t looking to make the world’s hottest pepper when he began crossbreeding chilies from around the globe in 2003. In fact, he was trying to raise the levels of capsaicinoids, compounds found in peppers, because he believes they have medicinal properties and can help protect against heart disease and cancer. “I wanted more of that good stuff,” Currie told BuzzFeed News. The most common capsaicinoid is capsaicin, which gives the pepper its fiery edge.

So when Currie, founder of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in Fort Mill, South Carolina, hybridized plants using nine chili peppers from Asia and one from the Caribbean, he also created something spicier than anything he’d ever tasted: the now world-famous “Carolina Reaper.”

“I knew it was hot because when we gave them out to everyone, they started vomiting,” Currie said. After a few successful growing seasons, Currie decided to find out where the pepper ranked on the Scoville scale, which uses Scoville heat units (SHU) to measure capsaicin. It was 2005 when he teamed up with chemistry professor Cliff Calloway and his team of graduate students at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. “His initial measurement [1.56 million SHUs] was the hottest he’d ever seen,” Currie said.

Jeffrey Collins / AP

Ed Currie holding Carolina Reaper peppers, in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

According to Currie, the Carolina Reaper ranges between 1.5 million and 2 million SHUs, depending on the pepper and the growing season. That’s about 600 times hotter than a jalapeño pepper at 2,500–8,000 SHU and about 8 times hotter than a habanero, which ranges between 200,000–350,000 SHU.

In other words, the Carolina Reaper is nearly off-the-charts spicy — or as Currie said, “stupid hot.” It won the Guinness World Record for the world’s hottest chili pepper in 2013, dethroning the “Trinidad Scorpion Butch T” pepper, and has retained the title ever since — although Currie said he’s already bred another pepper that’s nearly twice as hot, called “Pepper X.”

Obviously, chili peppers aren’t new. The potent plants — which belong to the capsicum genus in the nightshade family — have been around for thousands of years, originating in Central America and spreading to other continents through trade and globalization. The heat-causing capsicums have become a dietary staple in cultures all over the world, valued for their flavor and ability to prevent food spoilage in hot climates.

What’s new is that they are now hotter than ever before, and along with the dramatic increase in record-breaking peppers is a rise in people who eat them in a way that’s almost an extreme sport.

Mrsixinthemix / Getty Images

From pepper-eating contests and extreme menu items that require liability waivers to videos on social media of people eating the Carolina Reaper, Bhut jolokia (ghost pepper), and Samyang “fire noodles” — it’s not hard to find people rising to a spicy challenge that often ends in pain and tears. You might’ve seen the mega-viral clip from YouTuber Lizzy Wurst of her and a friend trying to stomach Carolina Reapers. It does not end well. Neither does this video of BuzzFeed staffers attempting the same. But some seem to enjoy putting themselves through the spicy pain.

“Hot culture,” as Currie calls it, is a growing community of people who can’t get enough of the heat. They often eat peppers like the Carolina Reaper for fun, participate in deathly hot wing challenges, and show off their spice tolerance at hot sauce expos around the country. “We’re all a big family,” he said.

While some can tolerate super hot peppers and champion spicy food for its health benefits, others have less-than-pleasant experiences and even wind up in the emergency room.

Whether you love or hate the heat, one thing is certain: the more spice, the more it hurts. What exactly are hot peppers and other spicy foods doing to our bodies, and is it possible to harm yourself by eating too much? And if the heat is painful, why do we love it so much?

We spoke to a few experts to find out.

Frank Bienewald / Getty Images

Here’s what happens as soon as you bite into a hot pepper.

Capsaicin is an irritant for all mammals, and it causes a burning sensation when it comes into contact with any skin or mucous membrane. In the mouth, capsaicin bypasses your taste buds and binds to pain receptors on the tongue called TRPV1. “Your tongue has lots of nerve endings, so when capsaicin hits that area and triggers a chemical response between nerve endings, which sends a signal to the brain,” Dr. Vivek Kumbhari, director of bariatric endoscopy at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, told BuzzFeed News. Capsaicin also binds to receptors on the tongue that detect heat, which is why spicy food feels “hot.”

So “spiciness” isn’t actually a taste, it’s a sensation of pain and heat produced by a chemical reaction between capsaicin and sensory neurons. The pepper itself might have its own flavors, but “spiciness” isn’t one of them. “The Carolina Reaper has a great flavor, it’s really sweet when you first eat it…then a few seconds later it’s like molten lava in your mouth,” said Currie.

Capsaicin tricks the brain into thinking there’s an actual change in temperature in the body. Your tongue is like a piece of hot coal and each breath makes you feel like a human flamethrower. Even though the spice isn’t actually burning you, the brain gets the same signals as if it was and reacts accordingly.

As a result, the body will try to cool itself down. “One way our body does this is by sweating and another way is by breathing fast,” Kumbhari said. That’s why you may start panting and feel bullets of sweat rolling down your forehead when eating a super spicy meal.

In addition to cooling things down, your body will also try to rid itself of the fiery substance by ramping up the production of saliva, mucus, and tears. “The capsaicin micro-particles will go up into the nose and your body will try to flush it out … which is why you get a runny nose,” said Kumbhari. You may also drool and get watery eyes. Spicy food can turn anyone into a snotty, crying mess. And you may instinctively reach for water, but this can just spread the heat. Capsaicin only dissolves in fats, oils, and alcohol. So dairy products like a cold glass of milk or spoonful of ice cream and fat-containing foods like peanut butter and avocados are much more effective for easing the pain.

The good news? That mouth-on-fire feeling only lasts for a limited amount of time. Because the sensation of heat and pain is from a chemical reaction, it will eventually fade once the capsaicin molecules neutralize and stop binding to the receptors.

Typically, this takes about 20 minutes, Currie said. It may take longer depending on the person and the heat of the pepper. But rest assured, your tongue will return to normal. However, the capsaicin may keep burning or cause discomfort as it goes down.

BuzzFeed News; Getty Images

Spicy food may hurt to eat, but it won’t actually burn or damage the digestive tract.

After you swallow spicy food, it can fire off more pain receptors in the membrane lining the esophagus and produce a burning sensation in the chest. This is not the same as heartburn, which is caused by acid regurgitation into the esophagus from a leaky valve to the stomach, but it may feel similar.

Like the fiery pain capsaicin causes in the mouth, the esophageal sensation is only temporary — and it won’t actually burn you.

There is still some debate about whether spicy food leads to indigestion or dyspepsia, a nonspecific term for pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen, according to Dr. David Poppers, a gastroenterologist at NYU Langone Health in New York City, told BuzzFeed News. But in people with a healthy gastrointestinal system, capsaicin alone is not thought to trigger a chronic problem. For some, moderate amounts of spicy food may even help with indigestion. However, if you have an existing gastrointestinal health problem, it might be an issue (more on that later).

On its way down to the stomach, spicy food may also affect the lungs and cause hiccups. The theory is that capsaicin irritates the phrenic nerve, which serves the diaphragm, the muscle that helps us breathe. This irritation can lead to involuntary spasms of the diaphragm, aka hiccups. The increase in breathing rate might also cause you to swallow some air, said Kumbhari, which can end up in the stomach and cause belching or bloating.

When capsaicin enters the stomach, it can stimulate the production of gastric mucus and temporarily speed up metabolism. As your stomach works to digest the spicy food, you may experience pain or cramping, but again, it won’t cause actual damage. If the food is really hot, it may lead to nausea or vomiting. But if you’re eating something reasonably spicy, you should be able to stomach it.

In the intestines, the capsaicin triggers a reaction, increasing the rate of digestion. This can be helpful if you’re eating food that takes longer to digest, but it can also speed things up a little too fast. “The capsaicin can stimulate nerves and draw water into the small bowel, causing it to distend and contract aggressively, which then causes diarrhea,” said Kumbhari.

Not everyone gets the runs after eating spicy food, but for those who do — it might burn on the way out just as much as it burned on the way in. “The tissue that lines the upper intestinal tract also lines the anus, so people can get perianal burning if they eat very spicy food,” Poppers said.

That anal burning sensation is uncomfortable for most people. But it could be unbearably painful if you have hemorrhoids or an anal fissure, a relatively common problem where there is a small tear in the lining of the anal canal. The pain will eventually fade, but even the softest toilet paper is no match for a bad butt burn.

However, there are some people who probably should avoid the heat.

Spicy food can exacerbate symptoms like heartburn or discomfort for people who already have an underlying problem that causes indigestion, such as acid reflux (GERD), a stomach ulcer, or gallbladder issues. There’s no evidence that capsaicin will cause a stomach ulcer, which is most often due to a Helicobacter pylori bacterial infection or long-term use of NSAID pain relievers, like ibuprofen. But it can aggravate an existing one.

And hot foods might be a problem for people with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, which are inflammatory bowel diseases, or Celiac disease, a reaction to gluten that can damage the intestines.

“If you take people who have poor bowels, for example, like people with Crohn’s or Celiac disease, where the protective barrier in the intestines doesn’t have good integrity, capsaicin can make things a lot worse,” Kumbhari said. People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can cause diarrhea and constipation, may also want to avoid spicy foods. In these cases, the capsaicin may not cause inflammation, but it can worsen symptoms.

However, there is also some evidence that capsaicin could actually be beneficial for your health, and it’s even used in topical creams for muscle and joint pain. “Some studies have shown that it has anti-inflammatory properties and potential anti-tumor properties, so although spicy food can be irritating, it can also be the opposite,” Poppers said. The extent to which capsaicin can combat or prevent illness is still up for debate, but some experts and spicy-food enthusiasts like Currie remain hopeful.

So the world’s hottest peppers won’t actually harm healthy people. Right?

You might still be wondering, how hot is too hot? Can eating too much spicy food harm you? The answer is…yes and no. Theoretically, spicy food could seriously hurt you at high enough levels — but your body probably wouldn’t let that happen. You would have to keep eating extremely hot food, past the point of sweating, shaking, vomiting, and maybe feeling like you’ll pass out. So it’s safe to say spicy food won’t kill you.

Perhaps you’ve heard the stories of people getting hurt during hot pepper–eating contests, which seem like terrifying cautionary tales for spice lovers. There’s the 34-year-old man who suffered from a rare thunderclap headache and had constricted blood vessels in his brain after eating a Carolina Reaper. Then we have the 47-year-old who went to the hospital with a spontaneous esophageal rupture or “Boerhaave syndrome,” after eating a ghost pepper.

But there’s no need to panic. According to the experts, these cases are rare. Not to mention, both of these people were participating in chili pepper–eating contests, noshing on stuff beyond a reasonable level of spiciness and at an unusually high quantity and rate. Most of us aren’t scarfing down record-hot peppers against the clock. But if you are participating in a contest, be mindful of your body and stop if you start to feel sick.

The only group Currie actively warns not to eat his hottest peppers is children, especially if they are under the age of 8 or not used to spicy food. “They do not understand what’s going on with their bodies and it can be very frightening or traumatic and keep them from learning about culinary pleasures in the future,” Currie said.

So why does spicy food still send some adults to the hospital? The fiery effects of capsaicin in the body can feel pretty shocking, or even scary. The throat-burning sensations might even feel similar to an allergic reaction, prompting some people to fear that they are going into anaphylactic shock (which won’t happen, unless you have a rare capsaicin allergy). There have been claims of extremely hot peppers causing people to feel numb or hallucinate.

Even if you know that the pain will go away after a period of time, it can still be a horrible experience. So yes, people may end up seeking medical care when the heat feels unbearable.

What happens at the hospital? Not much, according to the experts. People may receive some IV fluids or cold towels to help their body cool down, but otherwise, it’s mostly a waiting game. This applies to people who have eaten hot peppers and those who have…well, received oral sex from someone who has eaten very hot peppers. Yes, that is a thing. In general, it’s not a good idea to get capsaicin anywhere near your genitals — whether it’s from your own hands or the mouth of someone else. And keep it out of your eyes, too.

So it’s important to use caution and be careful with chili peppers or other very spicy foods. Wear plastic gloves while handling and preparing peppers, and after carefully removing them, wash your hands with soap before touching anything, especially your face. You might need eye goggles too — like the ones you wore in chemistry class — if you’re cutting or blending peppers that are high on the SHU scale, said Currie.

If you know you can’t tolerate spicy food or it causes you to vomit or feel horrible, don’t eat it or use your discretion. But if the worst happens and you accidentally eat a hotter-than-normal meal or a fiery pepper, try to stay calm — the burning sensation will pass.

Rakeshpicholiya / Getty Images / Via gettyimages.com

Two participants at a chili-eating contest on July 8 in Ningxiang, Hunan Province of China.

Why do we love the painful burn of spicy food and how are some people able to handle it better than others?

One explanation is a theory called benign masochism, coined by Dr. Paul Rozin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. It refers to situations in which humans are able to enjoy experiences that are initially negative — like the burn of a chili pepper or the stomach-flipping sensation of riding a rollercoaster. By repeatedly eating spicy food and recognizing that it won’t actually harm you, even though it hurts, we are able to turn the burn into a positive gastronomic experience, a process that Rozin calls “hedonic reversal.” That’s true as long as the level of spice is not intolerable, at which point the pain might outweigh the pleasure — everyone has their limit.

“Most people who enjoy spicy food were socialized to do so… it may be possible that some people like it the first time if its mild, but I doubt that anyone likes [spicy food] the first time if it’s very strong,” Rozin said. It helps if there are social pressures, like everyone in your family or friends eating spicy food. It also helps if the spicy food is also delicious.

So why can some people power through a Sichuan hot pot while others can’t handle a few drops of Tabasco sauce? People aren’t born with a genetic tolerance to spicy food or an affinity for heat, nor are spicy food lovers less sensitive to the burning effects of capsaicin. Some people are just better able to tolerate the pain, either because they were raised on spicy food or they eat it frequently.

Over time, your body can develop a tolerance to spiciness, and you’ll have to kick it up a notch to get the same burning sensation. So yes, you can teach yourself to love spicy food. There’s hope for all the jalapeño-fearing, mild-salsa-loving folks out there. Of course, if you genuinely dislike spicy food and don’t want to eat it, that’s okay too.

As for people who participate in hot pepper–eating contests, they may have a high tolerance for heat but also a desire for the thrill that drives them to sign up for something they know will hurt. Some people get pleasure from testing their body’s limits. Others, perhaps, do it to show off.

“Guys will come into the store and see who can get through the [Carolina Reaper] challenge, it’s all a machismo thing,” Currie said. There’s no question that some of those people have ended up on the floor feeling extreme regret.

Whatever your reasons for eating fiery foods, it’s safe to say that you aren’t putting your health at risk in the process. Even though you may feel like you’re dying, hot peppers won’t kill you or cause any lasting damage to the body. The painful heat is temporary, and over time, you can train yourself to manage it like a champ. And if you still want something hotter, Ed Currie is working on the next-generation pepper to satisfy that desire.

90,000 Why do we love spicy things so much? Three theories

• Fernando Duarte
• BBC

December 15, 2019

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Why do we love food that hurts us?

2018. Doctors in the intensive care unit of one of the hospitals in the United States are in a panic trying to figure out what is wrong with the patient. A man experiences incredible pain – attacks of real migraine, neck pain, constant vomiting.

After the tomography, tests, blood pressure check and general examination, the doctors realized: the man did not get poisoned or get sick, he just ate one of the hottest peppers in the world.

In his case, it was a “Carolina Reaper” (Carolina Reaper, a type of chili from the genus Capsicum – 275 times hotter than a regular jalapeno), which a 34-year-old man ate as part of a competition.

The man was lucky: the vasoconstriction of the brain caused by pepper was reversible, and the patient recovered over time.

Photo author, PuckerButt Pepper Company

Caption,

The reaper grows in South Carolina and is considered the sharpest in the world

This is, of course, an extreme case. But millions, and even probably billions of people around the world regularly eat spicy foods. It burns your tongue, makes you frantically search for a glass of water, and upsets your stomach at best. Why do we still love her?

People have been eating spicy foods for several thousand years, and this love does not cool down. On the contrary: more and more peppers are being grown in the world.In 2007, 27 million tons of green chiles were grown, and in 2018, already 37.

Evolution and Instincts

This data was provided by IndexBox. It follows from them that for the year each of us, if averaged, ate five kilograms of chili peppers. An average pepper weighs 20 grams, that is, five kilos is 250 stinging pods.

In some countries, spicy food is much more popular than in others.

For example, in Turkey, people eat an average of 86.5 grams of pepper per day.This is the highest rate in the world. In second place is Mexico, whose cuisine is known for its spiciness. There, they eat 50.95 grams of hot pepper daily.

Why do we love spicy things so much?

This is a complex story about the psychology of pleasure and overcoming evolutionary instincts.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

In 2018, 37 million tons of peppers were produced in the world

The secret of nature

Researchers still argue about why, from an evolutionary point of view, capsaicin appeared in chili peppers – the substance that makes them pungent.

Scientists have found that the pungent taste appeared in peppers gradually, and was needed so that animals and insects did not eat them.

But why then do birds eat them calmly?

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Birds are happy to eat hot peppers

Researchers at the University of Arizona in the United States have found that such evolutionary selectivity makes sense.

Mammalian digestive systems digest pepper seeds. However, in the case of birds, everything is different – the seeds slip through their digestive tract and are spread along with excrement.

So we know the peppers got hot to ward off us mammals. But why do people still eat them, and even love them?

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Chile eating competitions are popular in many countries

This is especially surprising when you remember that people tend to associate bitter taste with toxic substances – this is a mechanism that we developed thanks to evolution.

Why are humans the only mammals (other than Asia’s Tupaya) whose ancestors started eating chili peppers? Nature has given us some clues.

Fire Alarm

One theory is that people started eating chili because of its antibacterial and antifungal properties.

It is believed that people realized at some point that if food tasted spicy, it was less likely to be rotten. The pungency, therefore, meant that the food could be eaten and not poisoned.

This hypothesis was put forward in 1998 by Cornell University biologists Jennifer Billing and Paul Sherman.

They analyzed several thousand traditional recipes from the cuisines of 36 countries where meat is eaten, and found that more spices are added to food in countries with hotter climates, where food spoils faster.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Perhaps our love for acute food is related to sanitation?

“In hot countries, almost every meat recipe requires at least one type of spice, and most of them use many types of powerful seasonings. In cooler countries, food is often prepared with just one seasoning or no spice at all,” they write …

Indeed, Thailand, the Philippines, India and Malaysia are the record holders for the use of spices, and in Sweden, Finland and Norway, compared to them, they hardly use spicy ones.

“I think recipes are essentially chronicles of the evolutionary struggle between humans and parasites. We are competing with microbes for the same food,” says Sherman.

“Everything we do with food – whether it is cooking, drying, smoking, salting or adding spices – is essentially an attempt to save ourselves from being poisoned by our microscopic competitors.”

A delicious antidote?

Kaori O’Connor is an anthropologist who specializes in food. She has another version.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Turkey grows and eats more chili than any other country

Chile, like sugar cane and potatoes, are among the products that have not been known for centuries in Europe. They spread throughout the world when European explorers reached America and opened up new trade routes.

“They (chili peppers) were carried by American travelers,” says O’Connor.

The extraordinary taste of the peppers allowed them to quickly become part of national cuisines, including Indian, Chinese and Thai.

“It can be assumed that at that time food in Europe had a weak taste. But soon chili came to the rescue. When sugar first appeared in Europe, everything happened in a similar way.”

Risk and stomach

There is, however, another theory: our love of the acute is the result of a person’s addiction to limited risk.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Chili peppers became spicy so that mammals wouldn’t eat them, researchers say

According to this theory, our ancestors began to eat peppers for the same reasons that we love to ride on roller coaster or skydiving.

Experiments with Pain

The author of the concept of limited risk is Paul Rosin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He also became interested in why the vast majority of mammals do not eat chili.

Then he did an experiment. Rozin started feeding the volunteers more and more hot peppers until they started saying they couldn’t do it anymore.

Then they were asked what level of spice they liked the most. Most people said that they liked the last pepper the most, the hottest one.

“Humans are the only animals that can enjoy stimuli that are negative in nature,” says Rozin.

“Our mind has learned to understand that in reality there is no danger, even if our senses tell us otherwise.”

According to his theory, the nature of the pleasure from eating hot peppers is the same as the pleasure we get from horror films.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

Is Chile a safe risk for humans?

Gender and personal qualities

Scientists also wonder why some people like spicy more than others….

Researcher Nadia Burns is trying to find out if love for spicy things depends on gender.

Burns found. that men in general are motivated rather by external factors, for example, the impression of people in which they choose the hottest pepper. Women, on the other hand, are more interested in the level of acuity and pain.

“In Mexico, for example, chili peppers are associated with strength, courage and masculine traits,” says Burns.

But one thing seems to be certain: whether you love chili for the thrill, or because you hate the faint taste of unflavored dishes, or because you are escaping poisoning by following an ancient instinct, in the near future, given the rise in the production of peppers in the world, you are not face a shortage of spicy.

Pleasure and suffering: why some love it more

• Veronique Greenwood
• BBC Future

February 25, 2018

Photo by, iStock

Spicy food is more than just pleasure, bordering on suffering. The columnist BBC Future decided to investigate why humanity cannot live without spices.

You will find spicy food lovers all over the world.Thai, Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Ethiopian – the dishes of these cuisines can blow the roof off your tongue (if it has a roof), light a hell of a fire in your mouth and knock out a tear at all.

Ranking the world’s most peppered dishes, comparing one incendiary dish to another is a favorite pastime for exotic food fans, although in reality the differences are very controversial.

In fact, who can claim with full responsibility that the Indian dish “Phaal Widower” (spicy curry, 1,000,000 units on the Scoville scale – the international hotness scale), during the preparation of which they wear special glasses so as not to corrode the eyes, what is inferior to the notorious Korean “Suicide Burrito”?

There are a lot of sweat-breaking dishes awaiting us: take at least the popular Indian vindaloo with the hottest sauce or the Sichuan hot pot, where chili pods float in a sea of ​​fiery broth, from which you catch scalding pieces of meat and vegetables.

Once you get to know the incredible intensity of the flavor of these dishes, you might be wondering: why do the cuisines of some countries compete with each other for the title of world champion in pungency, while others limit themselves to only a slight hint of pungency?

And this is a question that has long puzzled anthropologists and nutritional historians. Indeed, it is curious – why in places with a warm climate, people are more prone to savory, spicy food?

Research indicates this may be related to the fact that some spices have antimicrobial properties.

Photo Credit, Getty Images

Photo Caption,

Chili combines harsh pungency with antibacterial properties that could have been beneficial in a time before refrigerators were invented

As the average annual temperatures increased (and with them the time taken for unfrozen foods to spoil), the proportion of recipes containing spices and the average amount of spices per recipe increased.In addition, spices with antibacterial properties were more commonly used. “

In hot areas where food spoiled very quickly before refrigerators were invented, spices may have helped prolong their life. Or at least make the taste more palatable.

Also suggested Because most people sweat from spicy foods, it helps to tolerate the heat more easily.In very humid climates, however, no matter how intensely you sweat, the effect of evaporation will not come to your aid, there is already too much moisture in the air.

Another study of people who drank hot water after exercise found that their bodies cooled slightly more than those who drank cold water. But this is only true for situations with low humidity. In Thailand in August, say, it doesn’t work.

Photo author, Getty Images

Photo caption,

In 17th century Europe, everyone got the opportunity to add spices to their food after their prices fell

However, the tropics do not have a monopoly on spices.Although chili peppers are native to the American continent, they spread widely throughout the world in the 15th and 16th centuries, thanks to the traveling European traders.

Other spices – not as hot as peppers, but giving dishes an intensity of flavor – have been used in Europe for centuries. Black pepper, cinnamon and ginger came here from the east.

Many dishes that are now not customary to make spicy, in those days, generously flavored with spices. A significant portion of the recipes in one of the 18th century British cookbooks include nutmeg and cloves in surprisingly large quantities.What happened next?

Perhaps we began to consider it indecent to have so many different tastes in one dish at once, as Maanvi Singh wrote in his article.

In what we used to think of as classic European cuisine, it is now customary to pay attention to how well the flavors of different additives combine, rather than strive for sharp contrasts in one dish.

This may have happened after the price of spices fell in Europe in the 17th century and anyone could add them to their food.And the gourmets have stopped loving them.

According to Singh, spices are now used in elite cuisine only to enhance the taste of other natural ingredients, and we can say that European snobbery has destroyed the enthusiasm for spices.

Photo Credit, Getty Images

Photo Caption,

In the not too distant past, many European cuisines adored ingredients such as nutmeg

Indeed, the role of cultural preference in spice selection cannot be underestimated.Like animals, taste helps a person determine what to eat without fear for their health.

As soon as we get used to a certain flavor range, we begin to focus on it. When we meet a familiar taste, we know it’s edible.

And it is not at all surprising that some people, after getting used to chili, begin to give preference to dishes in which it is added.

Today we have slightly different reasons for eating spicy foods than our ancestors.Now we are more attracted to the adrenaline rush that hot food provokes than social prestige or unusual taste.

The physiological response to pepper is the result of the activation of heat receptors in the oral mucosa. Our body reacts to a burning sensation in the mouth as if it were a burn to the body, which makes you sweat and blush, and in extreme cases it even comes to vomiting.

Apparently, it is an intense experience (of course, if it does not have serious consequences) that attracts us – as well as the opportunity to boast of our pepper resistance to friends.

Today we are hardly attracted to spicy and spicy food for its antibacterial qualities or its ability to regulate our body temperature. These rational motives no longer dominate our thoughts when we salivate at the sight of a plate of curry.

Read the original of this article in English mo f but on the BBC Future website.

The effect of spicy food on the body

The taste preferences of all people are quite different, but at the same time they can be classified.Among them, it is easy to distinguish lovers of sweets, meat, fruits and other options. Spicy is one of the popular tastes. But as hot dishes with spicy additives are, the controversy around their benefits or harms burns just as strongly.

What makes food spicy?

We will surprise you now, but we feel spicy, burning food with special receptors in our language – temperature. It is thanks to them that after mint there is a “draft in the mouth”, after menthol toothpaste or chewing gum, there is also a feeling of coolness, and after a good portion of Asian dishes you will feel like someone has made a huge fire on your tongue.These receptors are sensitive to the substance capsaicin, which excites them and makes it possible to feel a burning or pungent taste. A prime example of its high content is cayenne pepper, chili or jalapeno, which is used in abundance in Mexican cuisine. But this substance acts not only on the tongue. The fact is that capsaicin not only causes a sensation of warmth or even heat, but also causes a strong rush of blood to the surface with which it interacted – be it the skin on the arm, tongue or stomach lining.And this last interaction raises many concerns and suspicions that spicy food may be unsafe.

What is the harm of spicy foods?

The first answer will be extremely simple – in the absence of a sense of proportion in the meal. That is why further we will consider only those risks that may await us even with a moderate consumption of savory dishes.

Some people believe that burning food can cause diseases of the stomach and duodenum. However, this is true only for those cases when a person already has a disease in a non-acute stage or simply has not yet been identified.Therefore, they are not recommended for people with gastritis or ulcers, just so as not to provoke inflammatory processes.

Another unpleasant effect of “fiery” food is heartburn. A strong rush of blood causes an increase in the secretion of gastric juice and its excess is thrown into the esophagus, causing an unpleasant burning sensation. But not all people are subject to this phenomenon.

And finally, the dulling of taste sensations, which occurs with the regular and abundant consumption of spicy foods. But the harmful effect also has a downside to the coin.

The benefits of spicy

It is due to its irritating property that spicy food attracts a large volume of blood to the location. Thanks to this, the condition is facilitated in case of colds, the discharge of sputum in case of bronchitis, acute respiratory infections and other conditions accompanied by cough improves.

Another stimulating effect contributes to faster weight loss by activating the cardiovascular system, accelerating blood flow, removing toxins and excess fluids from tissues.The only condition is that the food should not be too salty, otherwise salt will still provoke the preservation and even increase in edema.

In addition, scientists have come to the conclusion that spicy foods contribute to the production of serotonin, which can contribute to improving mood. So a Mexican salad might well be a good alternative to a box of chocolates in case of heartache.

So, to summarize: spicy food helps to revitalize the body, tones up, helps to fight excess weight for those people who do not have an ulcer or gastritis.It can help fight colds and depression. However, it still should not be abused, since such a diet cannot be the basis for a correct or healthy diet.

Why do we love spicy food so much ?: p_syutkin – LiveJournal

Why do we love spicy food? There are several versions. Sharp means safe, unspoiled. Acuity is a form of harmless risk, emotional stress. Or is eating spicy food a sign of a real man? – Understanding.

2018. Doctors in the intensive care unit of one of the hospitals in the United States are in a panic trying to figure out what is wrong with the patient. A man experiences incredible pain – attacks of real migraine, neck pain, constant vomiting.

After the tomography, tests, blood pressure check and general examination, the doctors realized: the man did not get poisoned or get sick, he just ate one of the hottest peppers in the world.

In his case, it was the “Carolina Reaper” (Carolina Reaper, a Capsicum chili – 275 times hotter than a regular jalapeno), which a 34-year-old man ate as part of a competition.

The man was lucky: the narrowing of the cerebral vessels caused by pepper was reversible, and the patient recovered over time.

This incident, cited by BBC reporters, was the starting point for their story about why we love spicy:

The reaper grows in South Carolina and is considered the sharpest in the world.

This is, of course, an extreme case. But millions, and even probably billions of people around the world regularly eat spicy foods. It burns your tongue, makes you frantically search for a glass of water, and upsets your stomach at best.Why do we still love her?

People have been eating spicy foods for several thousand years, and this love does not cool down. On the contrary: more and more peppers are being grown in the world. In 2007, 27 million tons of green chiles were grown, and in 2018 – already 37.

Evolution and Instincts

This data was provided by IndexBox. It follows from them that for the year each of us, if averaged, ate five kilograms of chili peppers. An average pepper weighs 20 grams, that is, five kilos is 250 stinging pods.

In some countries spicy is loved much more than in others.For example, in Turkey, people eat an average of 86.5 grams of pepper per day. This is the highest rate in the world. In second place is Mexico, whose cuisine is known for its spiciness. There, they eat 50.95 grams of hot pepper daily.

Why do we love spicy foods so much? This is a complex story about the psychology of pleasure and overcoming evolutionary instincts.

In 2018, the world produced 37 million tons of peppers

Mystery of Nature

Researchers are still debating why, from an evolutionary point of view, capsaicin appeared in chili peppers – the substance that makes them hot.

Scientists have found that the pungent taste appeared in peppers gradually, and was needed so that animals and insects did not eat them. But why, then, do birds calmly eat them?

Researchers at the University of Arizona in the United States have found that such evolutionary selectivity makes sense. The digestive systems of mammals digest the seeds of the peppers. However, in the case of birds, everything is different – the seeds slip through their digestive tract and are spread along with excrement.

So we know the peppers got hot to ward off us mammals. But why do people still eat them, and even love them?

Chile eating competitions are popular in many countries

This is especially surprising if you remember that people tend to associate bitter taste with toxic substances – this is a mechanism that we have developed through evolution.

Why are humans the only mammals (other than Asia’s Tupaya) whose ancestors started eating chili peppers? Nature has given us some clues.

Fire alarm

One theory is that people started eating chili because of its antibacterial and antifungal properties.

It is believed that people at some point realized that if food tasted spicy, it was less likely to be rotten. The pungency, therefore, meant that the food could be eaten and not poisoned.

This hypothesis was put forward in 1998 by biologists from Cornell University Jennifer Billing and Paul Sherman. They analyzed several thousand traditional recipes from the cuisines of 36 countries where meat is eaten, and found that more spices are added to food in countries with hotter climates, where food deteriorates faster.

Perhaps our love of the spicy has to do with sanitation?

“In hot countries, almost every meat recipe requires at least one type of spice, and most of them use many types of powerful seasonings. In cooler countries, dishes are often prepared with only one seasoning or no spices at all,” they write.

Indeed, Thailand, the Philippines, India and Malaysia are the record holders for the use of spices, and in Sweden, Finland and Norway, compared to them, they hardly use spicy foods.

“I think recipes are essentially chronicles of the evolutionary struggle between humans and parasites. We’re competing with microbes for the same food,” Sherman says.

“Everything we do with food — whether it’s cooking, drying, smoking, salting, or adding spices — is essentially an attempt to save ourselves from being poisoned by our microscopic competitors.”

Delicious antidote?

Kaori O’Connor is an anthropologist who specializes in food. She has another version.

More chili is grown and eaten in Turkey than any other country

Chile, like, for example, sugar cane and potatoes, are among the products that have not been known in Europe for centuries. They spread throughout the world when European explorers reached America and opened up new trade routes.

“They (chili peppers) were carried by American travelers,” says O’Connor. The extraordinary taste of the peppers allowed them to quickly become part of national cuisines, including Indian, Chinese and Thai.”It can be assumed that at that time food in Europe had a weak taste. But soon chili came to the rescue. When sugar first appeared in Europe, everything happened in a similar way.”

Risk and stomach

There is, however, another theory: our love of the acute is the result of a person’s addiction to limited risk.

Chili peppers spicy to prevent mammals from eating them, researchers say

According to this theory, our ancestors began to eat peppers for the same reasons that we love to ride a roller coaster or jump with a parachute.

Experiments with pain

The author of the concept of limited risk is Paul Rosin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He also became interested in why the vast majority of mammals do not eat chili.

Then he performed an experiment. Rozin started feeding the volunteers more and more hot peppers until they started saying they couldn’t do it anymore. They were then asked what level of spice they liked the most. Most people said that they liked the last pepper the most, the hottest one.

“Humans are the only animals that can enjoy stimuli that are negative in nature,” says Rozin. “Our minds have learned to understand that there is really no danger, even if our senses tell us otherwise.”

According to his theory, the nature of the pleasure from eating hot peppers is the same as the pleasure we get from horror films.

Is Chile a safe risk for humans?

Gender and personal qualities

Scientists also wonder why some people like spicy more than others.Researcher Nadia Burns is trying to find out if the love of the spicy depends on gender.

Burns discovered. that men in general are motivated rather by external factors, for example, the impression of people in which they choose the hottest pepper. Women, on the other hand, are more interested in the level of acuity and pain.

“In Mexico, for example, chili peppers are associated with strength, courage, and masculinity,” says Burns.

But one thing seems to be certain: whether you love chili for the thrill, or because you hate the faint taste of unflavored food, or because you are escaping poisoning by following an ancient instinct, in the near future, given the rise in peppers production in the world, you will not face with a lack of spicy.

90,000 What the body lacks when it wants something spicy | HEALTH

Addiction to spicy food can arise for various reasons. Some do not threaten health and only require nutritional correction, while others may be a sign of the development of the disease. In any case, you need to see a doctor, and not mindlessly satisfy the desire to eat something spicy. We have collected the most common reasons for a special love for spicy food.

Why do you want something spicy?

Spicy foods stimulate digestion, therefore, during a malfunction of the stomach, a person may want large quantities of peppers, onions, and garlic.These products then act as a recharge for the digestive system.

If you regularly want spices, you need to see a doctor. Photo: Chaikhona restaurant chain # 1 Timur Lansky

High blood cholesterol level

Spicy food is thirsty, including with high blood cholesterol. Lipid metabolism is disturbed in the body, and the level of bad cholesterol increases. Spicy food helps to thin the blood, cleanse blood vessels from deposits. Therefore, lovers of hot hot peppers are advised to donate blood for analysis and make sure that there is no disease.

Problems with the digestive tract

Also, if you suddenly want to eat onions, garlic, peppers and other spicy foods, doctors advise you to be tested for the level of stomach acidity. It is possible that the secretory function of the gastrointestinal tract is impaired.

Overheating in the sun

Have you noticed that you crave spicy foods during the heat? Spicy food causes increased sweating, which helps the body to cool faster. That is why while on vacation in hot countries, people want chips, spicy kebabs and other spices.

Spicy food causes increased perspiration. Photo: Twitter

Infectious Diseases

During colds, people are more likely to eat garlic, onions and hot peppers. These foods can help relieve nasal congestion. Therefore, with acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections, you can and even need to safely lean on spicy. However, the effect of this is short-lived, and excessive consumption of the same product can cause an allergic reaction.

Depression

Another reason for cravings for the acute may be a lack of endorphins in the body – the hormone of joy.During times of depression or bad mood, people on a subconscious level are drawn to dishes that contain spices.

Before leaning on spicy foods, find out the reason for your selectivity in food. If you rarely want to add more pepper to your diet, there is no cause for concern. It’s another matter if there is a constant craving for spices. In such cases, should not postpone the visit to the doctor.

90,000 Those who love spicy can. People who like spicy food have a light temperament

How to determine the character of a person by what he loves to eat? Throughout our long life, we have met a huge number of people.

Some of them are close to us on business or other work issues. With some we can have fun by being in the same company. Such situations can be remembered enough.

But it happens that we still do not know anything about a person, but we are very eager to tell something about him. Of course, as soon as we get to know each other, we will not ask everything at once. But curiosity still prevails.

This is where the subtleties and facts noticed by the people come to the rescue. Paying attention to many points, you can learn enough about a person.

For example, you can learn about a person’s character and habits only by what he prefers in food
. What is better to pay attention to first of all? Now let’s talk about this.

Everyone has certain eating habits. Of course, no one is limited to just one or two types of products. In the diet of a particular person, there is a variety of foods.

Still, there are foods that we love the most. And without noticing it, we use them more often than others.It is this subconscious choice that will tell us about a person’s character.

Meat Lovers

Meat lovers are quite confident and active people. They rush through life at a rapid speed, commit many deliberate and rash acts. Therefore, it is not strange that in their lives there are ups and downs.

But they are not particularly saddened by anything. Having stumbled or having suffered a nuisance, they are not upset, they have no time for this at all. The meat eaters move on, without slowing down, towards new achievements and achievements.

And such sharp changes from triumphant victories to crushing defeats befall meat lovers everywhere, including in their personal lives.

Therefore, they need to be a little more attentive and try to control everything they do, so as not to harm themselves, but only to reach heights.

Fish & Seafood Lovers

Those who eat fish and seafood are characterized by tranquility. Unlike meat eaters, these are rather melancholic people. On the contrary, they do everything at a measured pace and with long deliberation.

To make the right decision, fish lovers need a lot of time. This helps them evaluate and analyze all the positive and negative points. And only then they make their choice.

People who often consume seafood and fish are also famous diplomats and careerists. This happens because they are good at analyzing, making the right conclusions, predicting the turn and course of events and guessing the outcome of the situation in advance.

Ultimately, this gives you the opportunity to build a good career or climb the corporate ladder.

In personal life, everything happens exactly the same. But there is a small negative point here. With their miscalculations and predictions in advance, they spoil all the raspberries in a romantic relationship.

Vegetable lovers

Those who often eat meat or other animal products can also love vegetables. It’s just that those who, above all, love vegetables, most often watch their health. They try to balance their diet and eat more vitamins.

People who love vegetables are strong in character. They know exactly what they need from life and in every possible way they achieve this. Achieving their goals is their life credo.

It has been observed that vegetable lovers often occupy leading positions in society. Leadership is in the blood of such people. They are almost always right and stubbornly prove it to others.

Among other things, vegetable eaters are looking for the right solution in everything and this is the only thing they do. From the outside, such people look like egoists, because they always insist on their own.But this is not at all the case, because they only point out to others the true solutions.

In their personal lives, vegetable lovers also always hold the supremacy and control all the processes taking place in their family. Therefore, their family life is always clearly and correctly planned.

Fruit Lovers

People who prefer fruits in their daily diet are very sensitive and creative natures. Such people live for the world around them. They are always ready to come to the rescue, lend a helping hand when needed.

Fruit lovers are very attentive and caring. They always subtly notice the mood and problems of others and try to help in every possible way.

And what is characteristic, they may not be great bosses or directors at all, but their work and creative impulses will always be noticed and appreciated from the outside. Therefore, their efforts bring them both pleasure and glory.

Fruit lovers are romantics in their personal lives. You can expect pleasant gestures and all sorts of surprises from such people.Regarding specific fruits, there are some disagreements.

Apple lovers are somewhat conservative people. They always calculate everything in advance.

Pears
. Those who prefer pear are very cheerful and sociable. They are loyal friends with whom you will never get bored.

Bananas
. Banana eaters are vulnerable and very sensitive people. It is not difficult to offend them and make them cry. These are great romantics, for them the world is seen in pink glasses.

Grapes
. Grape lovers cannot stand loneliness, therefore they always have a lot of friends.

Strawberry
. Those who often eat strawberries are very sociable and talkative. There is always something to talk to them about.

Cherry
, cherry
. Cherry and cherry lovers are very open and friendly. They love holidays, fun and all sorts of surprises.

Oranges
. The most confident and assertive are orange lovers.Such people always know what they need from life. Energetic and decisive, they know how to be in the center of attention and attract the eyes of others.

Spicy lovers

There are two diametrically opposite points of view about such people. And both are substantiated by various scientific studies. I don’t know who to believe, so I’ll give both, but the character of such people will have to be judged by some other criteria.

Option 1. Such people are prone to adventure, prone to adventures, they are characterized by ease of communication and the absence of any complexes.

Option 2. It would seem that such people are quite assertive and self-confident. But here everything is just the opposite. Because spicy lovers are often ordinary hackneyed inhabitants of this world.

They have a clear algorithm – home, work, home – which they adhere to on a daily basis. But just all these spicy food products are their only joy, such a pepper in a boring life.

With the help of these products, these people bring a little bit of bright colors into their boring life.Likewise in personal life, they will sit quietly and not stick out their nose anywhere. Therefore, they need strong-willed second halves so that they can shake them well, show all the sweets of life.

Sweet lovers

Sweet lovers are very sentimental, crying for them is like an elixir of tranquility. There is such a belief that by eating sweets, they sweeten their lives, thereby seizing all the bad and negative.

But here you can not agree, because they often eat sweets to cheer themselves up and bring their brain into active work.Therefore, sweets are often eaten by people who work a lot mentally.

Now you know a lot of nuances. And if at a party with friends you liked someone, then by observing their food preferences, you can determine character traits. Which will help you start a conversation with this person correctly and find the right words.

More recently, scientists have made a kind of discovery. It turns out how a person eats directly speaks of his character and type of his personality, state of mind.It turns out that people who love sweets and eat chocolate in large quantities actually feel lonely at heart, they want more love and attention to be shown to them, they feel a strong lack of care and kindness.

However, if you love dairy products, then this directly indicates that you lack affection. There is a direct association with mother’s milk. We subconsciously that early stage of life is associated with security, we were surrounded by love and care.

So you can talk about all taste preferences. These or those products give out the character of a person and his psychological characteristics of behavior. In particular, if a person loves nuts, hard fruits and vegetables and other tough foods, this indicates his firm character and desire to be a winner in life. If a person loves thrills, then he will constantly add pepper to his food.

Psychologists explain this dependence by the fact that in childhood or at any time happy for us, we ate certain foods, some were associated with joy, others with despair and loneliness.

Everyone was given certain delicacies as a reward as a child. At home, when my mother cooked, it was associated with safety and tranquility, and subsequently, similar food will further cause similar sensations. Therefore, we can say with confidence that when a person has an urgent need for certain products, this is nothing more than a desire to return the happy moments of life.

There is another very interesting pattern. People who love meat, especially beef, are more aggressive and nervous in life than people who eat more fruits and vegetables.These, in turn, are calmer.

A long time ago the scientist Danilevsky conducted one very entertaining experiment. He conducted an experiment with pigeons, divided them into two groups, for several weeks fed one group of pigeons with plant food, peas and other vegetables, and the other pigeons ate meat. And after a while, huge differences in their character and behavior really began to appear. Pigeons that ate meat became more aggressive, and if they continued to feed them with meat, they became real predators.And the pigeons that ate peas, on the contrary, became even more balanced than they were before. After that, the theory of the good nature of vegetarians became widespread.

Russian scientist Makarov revealed an even more detailed pattern between food and personal qualities of a person. People with a generous soul are very fond of tomatoes. Cucumbers, on the other hand, prefer romantic and sophisticated natures with a sensitive character. If a person lacks determination and self-confidence, then without realizing it, he begins to eat cabbage and beans.But if a person eats only vegetables, then he is very squeamish and cowardly by nature.

Also, the way vegetables are cooked speaks volumes. For example, if a person loves fresh vegetables, raw carrots or an apple, then the person is mentally healthy. However, if a person gives more preference to various pickles and pickled vegetables, then this is clearly a sign of tyranny. Such pickles and foods with a sour taste were loved by tyrants such as Stalin and Ivan the Terrible.

There are also special differences in the use of animal products. People who love sausage, boiled meat are very diligent, patient, you can count on such people in difficult moments, they are not afraid of obligations. And people who preferred lard, bacon and pork ribs, in general, fatty foods, they often turned out to be jealous, they had a strong sense of possessiveness.

People who love barbecue are one hundred percent romantics. Such people love to travel.Dreamy natures prefer to eat seafood. And cheese lovers end up being very reliable and gentle people.

Means the pursuit of goodness and happiness. A person who loves sweets strives for optimism, for being happy. However, adults can eat sweets only in the morning – from 6 to 9. From this, psychic energy rises. If a person wants sweets for lunch, then he has a reluctance to fulfill his duties, he wants someone else to take them upon himself.Laziness gives a sweet lunch. It kind of relieves the tension associated with the unwillingness to finish something. A person who loves sweets in the evening is disappointed in life, he seeks to artificially maintain optimism in himself. However, as a result, he gets a violation of hormonal functions and metabolism, as well as excess weight.

It is possessed by bread, cereals (except for buckwheat), as well as vegetables. Astringent taste means the ability and desire to work, not get tired. Hardworking people love him. If a person loves to eat astringent at lunch, he acts correctly, works hard and knows how to rest.The desire to eat something astringent in the morning is associated with greed, a person wants to do more, to earn a lot. This leads to depletion of prana. The consumption of astringent flavors in the evening leads to a loss of the ability to rest. Bread at night does not allow a person to relax, tension builds up. Astringent taste at the wrong time is a tendency to stubbornness.

Sour taste is associated with the purification of psychic energy. If a person loves sour for lunch, he knows how to relax, relieve stress. Sour in the morning increases mental sensitivity, makes a person twitchy.So, often people with allergies like something sour in the morning. All this leads to irritability and reproductive processes. Sour in the evening means touchiness and anger. Such a person is offended by fate, health, whatever. He greatly contaminates his prana.

Pungent taste means the ability to be active. It increases prana, enhances temperament, gives the ability to transform thoughts, translate ideas into reality and achieve success. If a person loves spicy for lunch, he tends to deeply comprehend the essence of things.Spicy eaten in the morning makes the mind overly acrid. A person becomes bilious and acutely notices the shortcomings and mistakes of others. The desire to eat acutely in the evening indicates a strong decrease in the ability to concentrate.

Salty taste tones up prana, gives the ability to work for a long time without feeling tired. A person who loves salty at lunchtime knows how to work and maintain good tone throughout the day. Anyone who uses salty in the morning makes the tone excessive, which leads to overexertion, as a result hypertension and neuritis may appear.Salty in the evening is the inability to rest. This taste in the evening is very depleting of the body and protective abilities, it leads to sleep disturbances, memory loss. Salty foods are often loved by those who tend to overwork at the wrong time.

Bitter taste for lunch is the acceptance of difficulties in life, as well as the love to overcome them. Eating it in the morning speaks of a fear of obstacles and difficulties, and also leads to depression and a sense of one’s own helplessness. The desire to eat bitter in the evening indicates that a person is experiencing some kind of grief.The situation is especially difficult if bitter is combined with sour in the evening.

From the lecture of Oleg Torsunov “Five senses and their connection with diseases”

It seems to be a ridiculous question, but many specialists, and not only in the field of medicine, psychology, but also the creativity of food itself – cooking, will tell you that every locality, every season, every specific situation requires its own, including a culinary solution or preferences.

It may be preferences, since having an internal intuitive connection with the body, we listen and sometimes hear the requests of our body, addressed to us, about what it needs at any given moment in time.After all, a person, living in a dual world, in a world that has positive and negative, left and right, right and wrong meaning, decision, opinion …. Still strives for the ideal, for his whole, for his harmony. And food is here only as a part of the external world, which a person absorbs and with the help of his physiology makes himself, every time he is himself, when food serves him as this addition to the whole, this medicine for our human imperfection.

Remember the ancient saying – C
what you eat, and I will tell you who you are … Therefore, if a person has developed certain taste preferences, it may be worth thinking about his character, or if a person’s taste, the daily set of foods has changed dramatically, then this symptom can tell about in many ways – starting with the fact that a person decided to start a new life, changed his job, worldview, to the development of a somatic disease.After all, each product has its own history and its own character, its properties, and, getting into the human body, every time it encourages us to a certain and very specific work on ourselves, on our essence.

Dairy lovers
.

This is a rather motley audience, as dairy products are a very broad category of products – from milk to cheese.

Milk
for a person is the very first food that he receives from his mother.Remember, when feeding takes place, then communication takes place at the same time, in which a mother or another close person (since let’s not forget about those people who grew up on artificial mixtures) gives tenderness, care, affection, a feeling of love and security. Therefore, milk lovers are sensual and vulnerable people, who highly value comfort, safety, attention, tenderness and need them.

Kefir
, it seems to be also a dairy product. However, observations indicate that lovers of fermented milk products are very independent, active people who like to keep a lot under control, capable of tough leadership.

Vegetable lovers
.

As a rule, people are scrupulous, thoughtful and serious. They are single-minded, ambitious, and have good careers. These are strong people, perhaps for this reason, rarely when they show their aggression, as they like to achieve their goal peacefully, through negotiations and finding a compromise. They are curious, take care of their health, value and love life.

A separate word must be said about vegetarians and more strict vegans, i.e.Because serious, honest and seemingly unpretentious vegans have very strict requirements for their food. And it turns out that they constantly require a special attitude to themselves, this is well known by the one who at least once had such a guest in his house. The owner has to try pretty hard to please him and satisfy his “non-standard needs”. Agree, there is something to think about. Maybe this is one of those cases when veganism is a special lifestyle, in which most of a person’s time and energy involuntarily revolves around a plate, because of which other equally important aspects of life are left unattended and ignored.

About fruit lovers
.

Despite the fact that these people have a sense of tact, subtly perceive and feel the world around them, these are lovers to argue. It is important for them to get to the very essence of the question, to understand, literally “bite into the question” and it is also important to be understood. These are very curious and sociable people who at first glance may seem careless, because they prefer creativity in their life. They love and look for non-standard solutions, value life, can and know how to enjoy it.

“Meatosaurs
“

For example, the category of these people is also diverse, because there are lovers of fatty meat, there are those who prefer lean beef, there are people who enjoy tender poultry meat, and there are connoisseurs of sausage products.

In any case, the one who prefers juicy meat steak or shish kebab
is to some extent a hunter, a hunter and a conqueror. As a rule, these people are impulsive and hot-tempered to such an extent that in the heat of a quarrel they can even use physical force, not to mention rude and harsh expressions.But they cool down very quickly, although rarely when openly and directly admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. For the most part, these are passionate and temperamental natures, magnanimous and generous, inclined to give expensive and beautiful gifts, tk. it is among these people that you will find true connoisseurs of beauty, in all its manifestations in life. They are independent, active and do not tolerate control over themselves, they value their freedom very much. Their lives and careers are usually uneven, where periods of take-off can be replaced by prolonged stagnation, although their ambitions are quite high.

About the one who loves chicken and turkey
is often referred to as a good family man. These people really value their home, family rules and traditions. They are kind to all their loved ones, both to their parents and to their children. They love and value coziness and comfort, often among them there are many who lead a healthy lifestyle. Most of them are kind, gentle and warm-hearted people.

If you meet sausage and sausage lover
, then, most likely, in front of you is a person who is always short of time.It is difficult to achieve any order from him in his room, in relationships, and in life. Many people around them consider them selfish, because they are creative, inquisitive and freedom-loving natures, who disdain for many conventions. These people love travel and adventure, and therefore can sit for hours at an interesting book or computer game.

Fish fans
.

Almost all of them are considered calm and balanced people.It is true, among them the majority of subtle, attentive, tactful people who do not want to cause disturbance and inconvenience to others. However, it is precisely these qualities that such people cause inconvenience to themselves, tk. in order not to offend anyone and not to offend they will endure a lot. Such people are usually good loyal friends and reliable partners. Maybe someone will find them too boring and insipid, this is a mistake, because they are deep and whole natures that can only be revealed in a long-term relationship. Often they are neat, they know how to live slowly, they love order and sophistication.

Sweet Tooth.

These people are usually cheerful, pleasant and open in communication. As a rule, they are very impressionable and sentimental. They often want to be loved by everyone and everyone will like it, and therefore they are often disappointed in people and in life. They study well and know how to work. But often being in a team or family, they can consider themselves very lonely, misunderstood, unappreciated people. Their emotional hunger, which they unsuccessfully try to extinguish with chocolate, a piece of cake, ice cream, is formed in childhood.Meanwhile, those with a sweet tooth are gentle, soft-hearted and altruistic, they just have increased vulnerability, vulnerability and, if I may say so, poor tolerance of the realities of life. Very often they are unhappy with themselves and suffer from excess body weight.

Despite some humorous tone of the article, sometimes you can see the character, state or mood of a person behind taste preferences. The key word here is to see! The main thing is to be a thinking person, not indifferent, attentive and observant of yourself and others.After all, it is not without reason that they say: “ You will sow
thought – reap an act, sow an act – reap a habit, sow a habit – reap character
, sow character – reap destiny
“.

Some experts believe that taste preferences are related to the person’s blood type. Astrology connects these preferences with belonging to one or another sign of the zodiac. Many doctors believe that the choice of food flavor is solely related to the health status of each patient.

And they are right in many ways. The state of human health is directly related to the system in which he eats (or lack thereof). Statistical studies confirm that people who abuse meat products most often suffer from stomach cancer. And those who follow a vegetarian diet are significantly less likely to get sick. The effect of foods on the body continues to be studied, and it is important for a person to listen to his body in order to maintain health.

How human health and food cravings are related

If the body often asks for sour, it is worth going to an appointment with a gastroenterologist.Your stomach may be very low in acidity. It can also pull on sour foods during a cold. “acidic foods” contain vitamin C, which is so necessary for the body against colds. In addition, the sour taste is an excellent appetite stimulant.

Craving for salty is manifested in people in whose bodies there are any chronic inflammations or infections. Often people who strive to add salt to each of their dishes suffer from cystitis, prostatitis, lowered immunity, inflammation of the appendages.Do not be reminded that excess salt is harmful to the body, do not be zealous.

If you feel a craving for bitter and pungent tastes, this means that your body is susceptible to intoxication. Spicy foods thin the blood, remove fats, and cleanse blood vessels. In moderation, spicy foods can be very beneficial to the body. But be careful, acute can irritate the mucous membrane.

A little psychology

Every craving for taste has its own psychological aspect.So, for example, people who prefer sour are prone to resentment, revenge, and malice. Those who are zealous with sweets may be lazy, seeking excessive pleasure. Those who are used to salt food abundantly are usually hardworking, hardy, focused on results, and those who like peppers and spicy dishes are passionate, used to penetrate the essence of things.

90,000 A COVID-19 patient ate very spicy food and experienced physical pain: People: From life: Lenta.ru

A resident of the American region of New England contracted COVID-19 and as an experiment ate very spicy food from a Thai restaurant.The Fox News website told about the consequences of her experience.

A Reddit user shared a story of how she contracted COVID-19 and lost her sense of smell and also her sense of taste. Bored in quarantine, the American decided to experiment on herself. She ordered very spicy food from her favorite Thai restaurant based on the hotness scale.

“It happened yesterday: I lost my sense of smell and taste. This is strange, but it gave me the opportunity for new entertainment. I immediately drank black coffee, then began to experience new challenges and ate a whole licorice candy without feeling any effect.Then I got an idea! How about spicy food? ” – she explained her choice.

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According to the American, eating Thai food with the symptoms of coronavirus was the strangest experience she had ever experienced. “My whole body was sweating. The eyes were sweating. I understood that it was spicy, but in this case it didn’t matter, ”she said.The author of the post emphasized that she began to experience severe physical pain, but decided to finish eating her food.

“And then the next day came, and my tender stomach from New England is paying the price for yesterday’s recklessness. My apartment only has one bathroom, and I have to coordinate trips there with my mother so as not to put her at greater risk. I flew too close to the Sun, guys, ”admitted the lover of experiments.

In the comments, the American explained that the spicy food hit her tongue and lips the most, but the sensation quickly passed.She noted that she was still able to distinguish between very bitter, salty, sweet or sour foods, although she could not sense the taste or smell.

“I don’t even smell tea tree oil. I can put my face in a cup of coffee and inhale, and I won’t feel anything, ”the woman said.

Earlier it was reported that a resident of the English city of Birkenhead, Merseyside County, who recovered from COVID-19 in April, complained about the strange consequences of the disease.