Why are chili peppers spicy?

We all know chili peppers are hot but we don't know why. However, according to analysis from plant researchers, chili peppers contain a substance called capsaicin. This substance can be considered as the cause of such hot peppers.

Chili, like other plants, often grow in the mountains. They went through many evolutionary processes to grow to be what they are today. The spicy taste of chili is one of the methods to help protect the species, because wild animals are afraid of the spicy taste and will not dare to eat this plant.
According to analysis from plant researchers, chili peppers contain a substance called capsaicin. This substance can be considered as the cause of such hot peppers. When eating chili, capsaicin will cause the tongue and organs to undergo certain irritation. At first there is a feeling of numbness and heat, then a slight pain. You will feel as if there is burning in your body going on.
The main sense that perceives the spicy taste of chili peppers is taste. At the same time, the impact of hot peppers is also directed at the taste buds unlike other flavors that affect the entire body.

Although the chili is hot, it has a magical appeal. Therefore, many people know hot peppers but still like and want to eat it. Capsaicin in chili peppers has the ability to prevent bacterial invasion, slow down oxidation. This substance will repel animals but is a factor that helps people eat better.
When eating hot peppers, a amount of capsaicin will enter the body and work with proteins, thereby creating a feeling of hotness. Therefore, the spicy taste of chili will make the body hot, not only the oral cavity as we still mistakenly believe.
On the other hand, the spicy taste of chili peppers, if continued to increase, will cause the body to send out a compulsive signal. At this point, the defense mechanism begins to form. The brain will send out information for pain and people who can't eat spicy will have the mentality to stop.
When the body gives up before the spicy taste of chili peppers, the chemicals that affect capsaicin weaken. Therefore, if you maintain this habit, you may increase your ability to eat spicy or not dare to eat super spicy chili later.
However, capsaicin has an impact on the hormone endorphin. This is a hormone that creates a feeling of happiness in the body. Therefore, there are some people who will be addicted to chili and have to eat chili with food to feel delicious.

Drinking a lot of water after eating spicy is an unconditional natural reflex of the body. However, according to research, water is just like a placebo but does not reduce the spicy taste of chili peppers. After running out of water, the hot spicy taste of chili reappears. The main reason is that capsaicin is difficult to dissolve in water. However, with alcohol and fat, this substance is easily dissolved.
According to reaction analysis, drinking milk can neutralize and soothe the uncomfortable feeling caused by capsaicin. Therefore, if you want to reduce the spicy taste of chili, you should drink milk instead of water.

Chili has a pungent taste that we all know. However, which chili variety is the hottest can only be recognized by experiment. To test the spiciness of chili peppers, scientists have relied on the method of separating the essence and then diluting it with sugar. Therefore, the ratio of dilution to reducing the spiciness will be chosen as the scale to evaluate the spiciness of each type of chili.
Besides, there are still some objects based on perception to choose the hottest chili. For example, in Vietnam, chili only grows in the mountains, but has a pungent taste that is difficult to match with home-grown chili. The spiciness of chili peppers is also rated according to a unit scale called SHU. According to a study, the variety of chili pepper with a peak of 1,000,000 SHU appeared in India.
Up to now, under widespread development, chili species has grown and reached biodiversity. Every year, the hottest chili will be changed continuously. Therefore, it is difficult to say which chili is the hottest. However, it can be seen that the main reason why chili peppers are spicy from a folk perspective is the self-protection mechanism of the species. As for science, this is the production of capsaicin in chili peppers.