Why we love and hate hot foods

I blame capsaicin and allyl isothiocyanate for my dislike of very spicy foods. They’re the chemicals in hot peppers, horseradish, hot mustard and wasabi that make your eyes water and your nose burn. Essentially they are the security guards in the plants saying, “Hey, stop that, don’t eat me!” And in my case, that warning works. These chemicals aggravate the mucus membrane in the nose, leading to inflammation. The nose then produces excess mucus to defend against whatever particles appear to be attacking, which is why your nose runs after a particularly large bite of a jalapeño. The same process happens in your eyes, causing them to water. While it may seem like eating spicy foods clears out your sinuses, it only does so temporarily; the congestion will kick back in after a short time. My hatred of extreme spice is linked to embarrassment. Last year I was at a cookout in East Sussex, England, during my year abroad, and I had a veggie burger. Putting condiments on the burger seemed like an easy enough venture, except that I didn’t realize that the English like their mustard hot. So I slathered on this mustard and some ketchup and joined the rest of the group for lunch. When I took the first bite of the burger I could tell something was wrong, my nose felt like it was on fire, or bleeding, and I could feel my face turning red. I could also see the bemused expressions of all the Brits around me, who clearly knew better than to use that much mustard, and had been waiting for me to make a fool of myself. Their patience paid off. And I’ve been wary of mustard ever since. A similar experience happened this year when my roommates and I loaded a bunch of fresh jalapeños onto our nachos. By the end of that meal all the peppers were on the side of the plate, and we were slyly trying to brush the tears from our eyes. So after these painful moments, I have difficulty seeing why people would enjoy, or seek out these super-hot flavorings — but they do serve a purpose. For example, there is a reason that wasabi is served with sushi: It kills bacteria and microbes that could otherwise make the raw fish dangerous to eat. Wasabi also appears to clear out our liver and eliminate toxins from our body. Mustard is high in antioxidants and can help clear the digestive system. So the same effects these foods have on my face, the clearing out and cleansing that I hate, are happening throughout the body. Spicy foods are also implicated in boosting metabolisms and improving mood, so there definitely are reasons to add some hot sauce to eggs or some red pepper flakes to pizza.But in case you overdo it, here are some tips to counteract that spice: Drinking water serves to spread the spice throughout your mouth, which is why it never seems to help. The fat in milk and dairy products, however, neutralizes the spice. Bread and rice will also work, because they can absorb the spicy oils.