Hey BrainStuff, I'm Lauren. You’ve probably
heard various doctors extolling the health
benefits of spicy food. But too much spice
can have drawbacks. Just ask all the people
who hallucinated after eating some of the
hottest peppers in the known world.
*groaning*
Even if you’ve never been that incapacitated,
you’ve probably experienced the classic
spicy food symptoms: a flushed face, watering
eyes, and, perhaps grossest of all, an uncontrollably
runny nose. So what gives? Why would spicy
food make your nose run?
In most spicy foods, it all comes down to
a few specific chemicals: capsaicin and allyl
isothiocyanate. They’re responsible for
what scientists call a food’s pungency – that’s
the technical term for “spiciness” or
heat. Capsaicin is found in plants from the
Capsicum genus, like chili peppers. It’s
most concentrated in the placental tissue
that holds the seeds.
Allyl isothiocyanate is a colorless oil found
in stuff like mustard and wasabi. These aren’t
just some accident of evolution – in the
world of plants, these chemicals are weapons.
Capsaicin is a deterrent. It’s concentrated
around the seeds because it’s meant to keep
seed-crunching mammals like you, me, our pets,
and Jessica Lange from scarfing them down,
destroying their chances to reproduce.
Here’s what happens when you call a plant’s
bluff and chow down on something spicy: the
chemicals causing that ‘hot’ sensation
on your tongue act on your pain receptors,
not your taste buds. They also irritate the
mucous membranes in your mouth, nose, throat,
sinuses -- basically, your face.
Mucous membranes are linings that protect
your orifices, lungs, and other inside parts
from bacterial, fungal, and viral infections.
The ones in your nose specialize in making
nasal mucus, better known by its street name,
“snot.”
Once a spicy chemical inflames the membranes,
they start producing extra mucus as a defense
mechanism. Your body’s trying to trap the
offensive chemical and prevent it from reaching
your respiratory system.
End result? Boom: your face is a snot spout.
Booger bonanza. Mucous midden. Gunk geyser.
Well, maybe I’m exaggerating. A little.
But you get the gist.
But it’s not like having a runny nose is
always a bad thing. If you’re congested
and eat spicy food, those same chemicals can
affect the dilator naris muscle, tricking
it into allowing more air into your nasal
cavity. Receptors in your nose tell your brain
“Hey, this is awesome! We’ll breathe so
much more easily from now on!”
And those receptors are lying. Once you’re
done eating, you’ll get stuffed up again.
So there you have it. Thanks for watching
– and let’s have a moment of silence for
all those poor folks we saw eating peppers
on YouTube.
If you’d like to learn more about spicy
food, check out our video “Why does hot
sauce make me feel so good?” and hey, while
we’re on the subject – what’s the spiciest
thing you’ve ever eaten? Have you tried
one of those ghost pepper challenges? Let
me know in the comments, and check back for
more BrainStuff.
