Why is chili spicy

Or is it? Humans have been cultivating chillies for years, but we are still learning new things about the science behind their heat and how it reacts with our body. In the late s, scientists identified the pain nerves that detect capsaicin: the chemical in chillies responsible for most of the burn. And this explains why full-cream milk, and not water, is the traditional choice for quelling the fire. The hottest part of a chilli is not the seeds, as many people think, but the white flesh that houses the seeds, known as the placenta.

Most scientists believe capsaicin acts mainly as a deterrent against would-be mammal predators such as rodents. But recent research suggests this may not be the whole story. US scientists working in Bolivia have studied how hot and mild chillies differ in their susceptibility to a certain harmful fungus. It turns out that the hotter the chilli, the better its defences against the fungus, leading the researchers to propose that heat may have evolved to help chillies deal with harmful microbes, as well as hungry mammals.

Birds, unlike mammals, are not bothered by capsaicin, and their digestive systems actually encourage chilli seeds to germinate. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together.

We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. Why are chili peppers so spicy? How do you measure the spiciness of a chili pepper? What's the best way to cool your mouth after biting into a spicy pepper? Fun facts about chili peppers: Capsaicin is water insoluble, which means a glass of water won't cool your mouth once you bite into a pepper. If you're looking for relief, try a glass of cold milk instead. Chili peppers are a great source of vitamin C.

Wonder What's Next? Try It Out Can you feel the heat? Learn even more about chili peppers when you check out the following activities with a friend or family member: Hungry? Ask an adult friend or family member to take you on a field trip to your local grocery store.

Head to the produce aisle and check out the selection of chili peppers. How many different types can you find? Which ones do you think would be the spiciest? If possible, choose a few different types to take home to try out with dinner tonight!

Feeling adventurous? Choose one or two to try at home. Make sure you get plenty of help from an adult friend or family member when you cook with chili peppers! Early settlers in the Southwest United States hung "ristras" strings of dried chili peppers in their homes as a way to preserve and store peppers for cooking year-round. Some people would also string ristras outside their homes to let travelers know they had food and shelter available. Today, ristras are still a common decoration in many homes symbolizing hospitality.

Try making a ristra for your family's kitchen — and bring a little warmth into your home. Did you get it? Test your knowledge. What are you wondering? Wonder Words spicy produce diet archaeologist culinary medicinal capsaicin receptor perspiration endorphin concentration extract dilute chili trade pain heat pepper Take the Wonder Word Challenge.

Join the Discussion. Gabriel Iriarte Aug 13, Is the image in the public domain? If not where did you get the rights to use it? Aug 14, We hope that answered your question! Jeffy Jeff Apr 25, Apr 30, Furthermore, as a byproduct of making capsaicin, the leaves of spicy plants have more stomata.

Non-spicy plants have an advantage over spicy plants during drought, producing more seeds, and thus more progeny, than their spicy brethren. When plants receive enough water, the advantage disappears and the spicy and non-spicy chilies make an equal number of seeds again.

For wild chilies, the dueling selective pressures of fungal pathogens and drought result in a polymorphism, a case where some chilies are spicy and some are not at all.

Stay tuned in the next few years as further research emerges on this hot and spicy research system. Visit her blog at www. A trade-off limits pungency. Soc B. Thank you kind sir, for doing a service for humanity.

I have long since wondered why we eat spicy foods when it gives us such an unpleasant experience. Very informative, thank you for the information. It actually made my spicy gumbo taste even better while I was reading! Thanks for a really informative article. As a chili grower and a Ph. D in Psychology I really enjoyed reading an article with reference literature to read. Thanks for posting this scientific perspective e. Really enjoyed it. I loved this.

Had we been able to tolerate biting into some really hot chillies, it's possible we would have experienced a "chilli endorphin high". Endorphins are natural opiates, painkillers which are sometimes released in response to the chilli's sting. Like opiates they are said to induce a pervasive sense of happiness.

It is a form of thrill-seeking - feeding our brains' desire for stimulation. Although it is not something I have personally ever experienced, I have certainly heard it described by hard core chilli eaters.. But beyond the pain and the perverse pleasures, are there any health benefits to eating chillies?

In a recent study done by researchers from the University of Vermont they looked at data from more than 16, Americans who had filled in food questionnaires over an average of During that time nearly 5, of them had died. This supports the finding of another recent study, carried out in China, that came to similar conclusions.

The researchers speculate that it could be that capsaicin is helping increase blood flow, or even altering the mix of your gut bacteria in a helpful direction. Whatever the reason, it adds to my pleasure as I sprinkle chilli on my omelette in the morning. Join the conversation on our Facebook page.