Most of us know the burning sensation when eating hot peppers, a taste that many people love and are looking for the best types of peppers.
But can eating hot peppers cause health damage?
In a report published by The Conversation, authors Charlotte Phelps and Christian Moreau say that the hot sauce market has grown significantly on a global level in the past few years, reaching about $2.71 billion, and is expected to grow to $4.38 billion by 2020. 2028, which shows that the taste of hot pepper is a preferred choice for many despite the burning sensation it causes.
But what is the reality of that feeling?
Burning taste "trick"
Despite its health benefits, eating chili peppers causes some problems, including swelling, nausea, vomiting, eye pain, diarrhea, abdominal pain, heartburn, and headache.
In fact, it all makes up the way our bodies respond to eating pepper, and nothing is actually burning.
All those side effects that we notice when eating hot peppers, such as sweating and pain, are caused by the body's belief that there is a real burning, as the body senses capsaicin, the main active compound in pepper, and responds to it immediately, but without causing significant damage to cells.
Capsaicin tricks the body into thinking it's experiencing a burning sensation when there's no actual burning, as individual cells in the mouth and digestive system respond to the stimulus by releasing chemicals that cause a small amount of irritation.
The response is usually relatively short, tends to subside quickly and the burning sensation subsides.
One study showed an association between high intake of hot peppers and cognitive decline (Shutterstock)
According to the authors, there is not much evidence of any health harms from moderate consumption of hot peppers, but one study showed an association between high consumption of hot peppers and cognitive decline.
In the study, a significant proportion of people who had symptoms of amnesia reported eating more than 50 grams of cayenne pepper per day (equivalent to 3.5 tablespoons).
But this data was the result of self-reports, and the results have not been confirmed by further research.
There are no long term risks
Hot pepper is one of the main spices used in many kitchens around the world, and it has many benefits, like the rest of the spices, because of its antioxidants.
Also, chili lovers tend to add less salt to their meals, which means that enjoying the spicy taste can be a healthy habit by reducing sodium consumption.
In general, there do not appear to be any long-term risks from eating chili in moderation, but the tolerance for the burning taste varies from person to person, sometimes for genetic reasons.