The science of spiciness - Rose Eveleth

TED-Ed
10 Mar 201403:54
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis script delves into the science behind the sensation of spiciness, explaining that it's not a taste but a response to compounds like capsaicin activating pain receptors. It clarifies why some foods, like wasabi, cause nasal irritation, while others like chili peppers affect the mouth. The Scoville scale is introduced as the standard for measuring spiciness, with peppers like the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and Carolina Reaper leading the charts. The script ponders the origins and reasons for our love of spicy foods, suggesting it might be for thrill or even genetic, noting that tolerance doesn't reduce the pain but makes us more accepting of it.

Takeaways
  • 🔥 Spiciness is not a taste but a sensation caused by certain compounds in foods that activate polymodal nociceptors, the same receptors activated by extreme heat.
  • 🌶️ Eating spicy foods like chili peppers can trigger a fight-or-flight response, causing sweating and an increased heart rate due to the activation of heat-sensitive receptors.
  • 🍽️ Not all spicy foods cause the same sensation; the difference lies in the types of compounds involved, such as alkylamides in peppers and isothiocyanates in mustard and wasabi.
  • 🌡️ The Scoville scale is the standard measure of spiciness, indicating how much capsaicin content can be diluted before the heat is undetectable to humans.
  • 🏆 The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and the Carolina Reaper are among the spiciest peppers, with Scoville heat units between 1.5 and 2 million, comparable to pepper spray.
  • 🤔 The origins of why humans began eating hot peppers are unknown, but theories suggest it may have been to kill bacteria, as spices developed mostly in warmer climates.
  • 🎢 Some people enjoy eating spicy food for the thrill, similar to the excitement of riding rollercoasters, and they may also enjoy other adrenaline-rich activities.
  • 🧬 A preference for spicy food may be genetic, as studies suggest that those who like spicy foods don't perceive the pain any less than those who don't, but they simply like the sensation more.
  • 💪 Training to increase tolerance for spice may not reduce the perceived pain of spiciness; instead, people become more tolerant of the discomfort.
  • 🌿 Archaeological findings show that spices like mustard have been used by humans for at least 23,000 years, but their original purpose remains uncertain.
  • 🥶 Wasabi causes watery eyes because its smaller isothiocyanate molecules easily float up into the sinuses, irritating the eyes.
Q & A

  • Why does eating a spicy pepper make your mouth feel like it's on fire?

    -When you eat a spicy pepper, certain compounds like capsaicin activate polymodal nociceptors, the same receptors activated by extreme heat. This makes your brain think your mouth is burning, causing a sensation of fire.

  • How can you soothe the burn from eating spicy foods?

    -Drinking milk or consuming dairy products can help soothe the burn as they contain casein, which can reduce the sensation of heat caused by capsaicin.

  • Why does wasabi make your eyes water?

    -Wasabi contains isothiocyanates, smaller molecules that can easily float up into your sinuses and irritate the eyes, causing them to water.

  • What is the standard measure of a food's spiciness?

    -The standard measure of a food's spiciness is its rating on the Scoville scale, which measures how much its capsaicin content can be diluted before the heat is no longer detectable to humans.

  • What are the two peppers that are generally considered the hottest?

    -The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and the Carolina Reaper are generally considered the hottest peppers, measuring between 1.5 and 2 million Scoville heat units.

  • Why might humans have started eating hot peppers?

    -One theory suggests that humans started eating hot peppers to kill off bacteria, as spices developed mostly in warmer climates where microbes are more prevalent.

  • Are there any genetic factors that influence a person's tolerance for spicy food?

    -Yes, the taste for spicy food may be genetic, and some studies have shown that those who enjoy spicy food are more likely to enjoy other adrenaline-rich activities.

  • Can you train your palate to tolerate spicier foods?

    -While some people believe they can train their palate to tolerate spicier foods, studies suggest that the pain doesn't get any less; instead, people who like spicy foods seem to like the pain more.

  • How do capsaicin and piperine in chili peppers differ from isothiocyanates in mustard and wasabi?

    -Capsaicin and piperine are larger, heavier molecules called alkylamides that mostly stay in your mouth, while isothiocyanates are smaller molecules that can float up into your sinuses, causing different sensations.

  • What is the Scoville scale, and how does it work?

    -The Scoville scale is a measure of the spiciness of a food, indicating how much the capsaicin content can be diluted before the heat is no longer detectable. Foods are rated from 0 Scoville heat units for sweet bell peppers to over 1.5 million units for the hottest peppers.

  • Why might some people enjoy eating spicy food despite the pain it causes?

    -Some people enjoy eating spicy food for the thrill it provides, similar to the excitement of riding rollercoasters. They may not perceive the pain as less intense, but they seem to appreciate it more.

Outlines
00:00
🌶️ Understanding Spiciness and Its Effects

The script begins by exploring why spicy foods cause a burning sensation, explaining that spiciness is not a taste but a result of certain compounds activating polymodal nociceptors, the same receptors triggered by extreme heat. This activation leads to a fight-or-flight response, causing sweating and an increased heart rate. The text differentiates between the effects of larger alkylamides found in chili peppers and black pepper, which stay in the mouth, and smaller isothiocyanates in mustard, horseradish, and wasabi, which can affect the sinuses. The Scoville scale is introduced as the standard measure for spiciness, with examples given for bell peppers and Tabasco sauce, and a mention of the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and Carolina Reaper as the spiciest peppers. The script ponders why humans consume spicy foods, suggesting possible reasons such as bacterial control and a genetic predisposition towards enjoying the associated thrill and pain.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Spicy
Spicy refers to the sensation produced by certain foods that contain irritant chemical compounds, such as capsaicin found in chili peppers. In the video, spiciness is not a taste but an activation of sensory neurons called polymodal nociceptors, which are also activated by extreme heat. The concept of spiciness is central to the video's theme, explaining why and how certain foods cause a burning sensation.
💡Polymodal Nociceptors
Polymodal nociceptors are a type of sensory neuron found throughout the body, including the mouth and nose. They are activated by various stimuli, including extreme heat and certain compounds in spicy foods. The video explains that when these receptors are triggered by spicy foods, they cause a burning sensation, indicating a potential threat similar to contact with a heat source.
💡Capsaicin
Capsaicin is the active component in chili peppers that produces a sensation of heat or spiciness. The video mentions capsaicin as one of the compounds responsible for the spiciness of foods and its measurement on the Scoville scale, which is the standard unit for quantifying the spiciness of a food.
💡Scoville Scale
The Scoville scale is a measurement system used to quantify the spiciness or heat of chili peppers and other spicy foods. The scale works by measuring how much a food's capsaicin content can be diluted before the heat is no longer detectable to humans. The video uses the Scoville scale to compare the spiciness of various peppers, like the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and the Carolina Reaper.
💡Menthol
Menthol is a compound found in mint that has a cooling effect. The video contrasts the sensation of spiciness with the cooling effect of menthol, which activates cold receptors in the body, demonstrating how different compounds can elicit different sensory responses.
💡Isothiocyanates
Isothiocyanates are smaller molecules found in foods like mustard, horseradish, and wasabi. The video explains that these molecules can float up into the sinuses, causing a different type of irritation compared to the burning sensation in the mouth caused by larger molecules like capsaicin.
💡Fight-or-Flight Response
The fight-or-flight response is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event or threat. The video describes how eating spicy foods can trigger this response, with symptoms such as sweating and an increased heart rate, as the body reacts to the perceived danger of the heat.
💡Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion is a type of chili pepper known for its extreme spiciness. The video mentions this pepper in the context of the race to create the hottest pepper, noting that it measures between 1.5 and 2 million Scoville heat units.
💡Carolina Reaper
The Carolina Reaper is another extremely spicy pepper, often cited as one of the hottest in the world. The video compares it to the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, stating that both peppers have Scoville heat units close to those found in pepper spray.
💡Adrenaline
Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone that is released during times of stress or excitement. The video suggests that some people enjoy eating spicy foods because it provides a thrill similar to that of an adrenaline rush, linking the enjoyment of spicy food to a preference for other adrenaline-rich activities.
💡Genetics
Genetics refers to the study of genes and heredity. The video briefly touches on the idea that the taste for spicy food may be influenced by genetics, suggesting that some people may have a natural inclination towards enjoying spicy foods due to their genetic makeup.
💡Tolerance
Tolerance, in the context of the video, refers to an individual's ability to withstand or endure the sensation of spiciness without discomfort. The video notes that while some people may believe they can train their palate to handle spicier foods, studies suggest that the perceived pain does not decrease, but rather individuals develop a greater appreciation for the sensation of pain.
Highlights

Spicy foods activate polymodal nociceptors, the same receptors activated by extreme heat.

The brain interprets the activation of heat-sensitive receptors as a burning sensation.

Menthol activates cold receptors, creating a cool, minty sensation.

Spicy foods trigger a fight-or-flight response, causing sweating and an increased heart rate.

Different compounds in spicy foods, such as alkylamides and isothiocyanates, affect how they feel spicy.

Chili peppers contain capsaicin and piperine, which mostly stay in the mouth causing a burning sensation.

Wasabi contains isothiocyanates, which float into the sinuses causing a nasal burn.

The Scoville scale measures the spiciness of food based on capsaicin content dilution.

Sweet bell peppers have 0 Scoville heat units, while Tabasco sauce has 1,200-2,400 units.

The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion and Carolina Reaper are among the hottest peppers, with 1.5 to 2 million Scoville heat units.

Pepper spray contains about double the Scoville heat units of the hottest peppers.

The origins of human consumption of hot peppers are unknown, with evidence dating back 23,000 years.

Spices may have been used to kill bacteria in food, as they developed mostly in warmer climates.

Some people enjoy spicy food for the thrill and adrenaline, similar to riding rollercoasters.

A preference for spicy food may be genetic and is not necessarily linked to a higher pain tolerance.

People who like spicy foods do not perceive the burn as less painful, but rather enjoy the sensation more.

Training to increase spice tolerance does not make the pain less intense, but can make individuals more resilient.

Despite the discomfort, the enjoyment of spicy food is a testament to the human fascination with sensory experiences.

Transcripts

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Spicy FoodsScoville ScaleCapsaicinMentholNociceptorsWasabiChili PeppersHeat ToleranceAdrenalineCulinary Science