Not everyone likes hot weather. That’s because eating spicy food can literally be a painful experience, which raises a few questions. Why are certain foods spicy and why do only some people like them?
Because spiciness is related to temperature perception, it is not on the list of classic tastes, along with sour, bitter, sweet, salty, and umami. In addition to the gustatory receptors, the tongue has various thermoreceptors, some of which are triggered by spicy foods, creating a literal burning sensation. In other words, it is no exaggeration to say that Indian and Thai cuisine is packed with “heat”.
The “spicy” chemical that irritates the tongue is called capsaicin. It is derived from chili peppers and evolved chemicals as secondary metabolites to prevent predators from eating them. John HayesDirector of the Pennsylvania State University Sensory Evaluation Center told Live Science.
Capsaicin matches a tongue thermoreceptor called TRPV1. TRPV1 is normally turned off by the ambient temperature. 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) and higher than that. However, when you eat spicy foods that contain capsaicin, this molecule binds to receptors and lowers their activation energy. In other words, capsaicin tricks the receptors into sending burning signals to the brain at just 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius), Hayes said. So even at a mouth temperature of about 95°F (35°C) for him, it still feels burning, he says.
black pepper piperine and the low pH of vinegar It may also trigger the ‘burning’ pathway of TRPV1.in the meantime Allicin in garlic, wasabi and mustard oil All of these interact with another thermoreceptor called TRPA1.
Related: Why does drinking mint cool your mouth?
“The party policy is that humans are the only animals that actually enjoy this.” [burning feeling]Most animals find the experience aversive,” Hayes said.
There are several theories as to why humans prefer spicy food, despite the sometimes painful experience. The most robust theories are about risk and reward, Hayes said.His 2016 study published in the journal appetite showed that a person’s risk-taking behavior is a good predictor of their preference for spicy food. People who like roller coaster rides and fast windy roads tended to like their wings hot. It all depends on getting some reward or rushing out of pain and risk, he said. Alyssa Nordena food scientist and sensory expert at the University of Massachusetts.
How the risk-reward experience unfolds in the brain is still a mystery.One researcher talks about the appeal of spicy food: “Limited Risk” and “benign masochism.” But Hayes said there is no neuroimaging or data to confirm the exact mechanisms in the brain for any of these ideas.
Consumption of spicy foods may also result from enhanced personality traits in some social groups and cultures.His 2015 study published in the journal food quality and taste Pennsylvania men were found to be more susceptible to external or social motivations for spicy food than women. Therefore, there may be some link between preference for spicy food and masculinity.Several first research Researchers on spicy food preferences have hypothesized that the consumption of spicy food is related to notions of masculinity. However, no differences in spicy food preferences were found between men and women in a sample of Mexicans.
Another theory posits that spicy foods may have benefited evolution in hot environments, Norden said. She said some experts hypothesize that spicy food was valuable in these areas because it stimulates perspiration and has a cooling effect.
“There are genetic factors that are not well studied,” says Norden. It is well known that the more spicy food people eat, the worse their health. Desensitization to capsaicin. But a 2012 study published in the journal found that some people are born with different or less-functioning capsaicin receptors, making them more resistant to spices from the start. physiology and behavior. Many of the differences in spicy food preferences are due to genetic variation, Norden said.
For people who have lost their sense of taste, spicy food may be a gateway to enjoying a meal. For example, in chemotherapy given to cancer patients, Alter taste receptor cells in the mouthThis means that food may taste bitter, metallic, or otherwise different than it used to. Spicy foods are sensed by thermoreceptors rather than taste receptors, so the sensation of spiciness can still be felt. in fact, some research They suggest that cancer patients turn to spicy foods during or after chemotherapy to enhance their sensory experience.
Overall, our preference for spicy foods probably cannot be explained by one of these theories alone. “It’s probably a combination of all of them,” Norden said.