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Capsaicin, the healthiest spiciness. This substance present in chili peppers and the rest of peppers, paprika, and spicy flavor flakes not only adds a little (or a lot) of joy to food, but can have very beneficial effects on our body. Capsaicin triggers a response in our body called gustatory facial sweating that causes sweating on the face, which when evaporated 'steals' heat from our body, cooling it down. So, even though we feel like we're burning up, chili peppers cool us down.
The most well-known appeal of capsaicin is its analgesic properties (it is sold in pharmacies in the form of topical patches). Another apparent contradiction. This effect is due to the interaction this chemical has with the TRPV1 pain receptors, preventing them from sending signals to the brain. Interestingly, this characteristic was known by Native Americans, who rubbed the fruit on their gums to relieve tooth pain. Nowadays, its analgesic properties are being studied to help cancer patients whose treatments (radiation or chemotherapy) have caused mucositis, a disease characterized by sores and wounds in the mouth. And its analgesic effects are not exclusive to humans: at the 2008 London Olympics, four horses (and their riders) in the equestrian jumping category were disqualified for testing positive for doping with capsaicin, which they used so the animals wouldn't feel discomfort when jumping.
Capsaicin, the healthiest spiciness. This substance present in chili peppers and the rest of peppers, paprika, and spicy flavor flakes not only adds a little (or a lot) of joy to food, but can have very beneficial effects on our body. Capsaicin triggers a response in our body called gustatory facial sweating that causes sweating on the face, which when evaporated 'steals' heat from our body, cooling it down. So, even though we feel like we're burning up, chili peppers cool us down.
The most well-known appeal of capsaicin is its analgesic properties (it is sold in pharmacies in the form of topical patches). Another apparent contradiction. This effect is due to the interaction this chemical has with the TRPV1 pain receptors, preventing them from sending signals to the brain. Interestingly, this characteristic was known by Native Americans, who rubbed the fruit on their gums to relieve tooth pain. Nowadays, its analgesic properties are being studied to help cancer patients whose treatments (radiation or chemotherapy) have caused mucositis, a disease characterized by sores and wounds in the mouth. And its analgesic effects are not exclusive to humans: at the 2008 London Olympics, four horses (and their riders) in the equestrian jumping category were disqualified for testing positive for doping with capsaicin, which they used so the animals wouldn't feel discomfort when jumping.