The research behind spicy food will answer all your curiosities- Do you like spicy food? If so, do you know why you do? And if you don’t, do you know why that sensation of heat completely overwhelms you? As soon as you take your first bite of spicy food, you feel as if your mouth is on fire. This is due to a compound in hot peppers called capsaicin.
The Research Behind Spicy Food
Capsaicin binds to specific heat-sensitive receptors in your mouth known as vanilloid receptor 1. These are the same receptors that tell your brain when you are literally on fire. Since these receptors cannot differentiate between capsaicin and heat and can be activated by both, its stimulation tricks your brain into believing that the temperature is higher than it really is, that you are burning up.
You aren’t actually burning, but your mouth certainly feels like it, and for some reasons, millions of people love this sensation. Hot peppers raise your core body temperature in a process called thermogenesis. To lower your body temperature, your brain sends signals to release the extra heat, so you start sweating. Thanks to the research behind spicy food, we know!
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Also, your blood vessels dilate, sending more blood to the skin’s surface of the body where it can be easily radiate. This is what results in the comical red face and hands associated with eating a spicy meal. This is your body’s way of removing the imaginary threat.
Have you ever noticed that when you eat some hot sauce, your mouth gets a little too mucous-y? This is because your salivary glands kick into overdrive in an effort to produce enough saliva to clear out any capsaicin still present in your
Hot Peppers Can Speed Metabolism And Help In Weight Loss
For many, especially those who are not used to eating spicy food, too much capsaicin in a dish can upset their digestive tract. This is because your intestine is also lined with pain receptors which can be triggered by capsaicin. This causes your stomach to contracts forcefully to get rid of capsaicin.
These contractions can sometimes be painful. But capsaicin isn’t all bad! Your brain responds to the fact that it believes you are on fire by releasing endorphins, which creates a euphoric feeling similar to a “runner’s high”. This is your brain telling you that it has the situation under control and that repairs are underway.
Studies have shown that hot peppers can help curb appetite and speed metabolism. Researchers have found that metabolism can be increased by 5% and fat burning can increase by 16%, which can also help counteract metabolic decline that occurs when someone tries to lose weight. The research behind spicy food it’s useful.
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Also, people felt more satiated after eating spicy foods. An earlier study found that people consumed less fat after eating high amounts of hot peppers. Capsaicin can also help in digestion. The next time you suffer from seasonal allergies, try some hot sauce and see if that will help you nip them in the bud. Just don’t overdo it! Sure, you aren’t really on fire, but pain is pain!
We hope this article about the research behind spicy food, has been useful to you.