Why is spicy sweating?

Chili is a popular spice and makes the dish more colorful and bold. But one problem is that when we eat chili, in addition to the typical spicy taste in the tip of the tongue, we are sweating. Why is that?

Capsaicin , the main chemical that creates a spicy feeling in chili, also makes your body react like it is in a hot environment. Capsaicin activates some internal body receptors to produce a cooling reaction (sweating).

Capsaicin activates some internal body receptors to produce a cooling reaction (sweating).

What is capsaicin?

According to an article from the University of Arizona, Capsaicin is a molecule found in peppers that causes spicy flavor. The body also has a number of receptors (a protein molecule located on the cell membrane or in the cytoplasm of the cell, which is the binding site of many different types of signal molecules) found in some capsaicin. nerves are very sensitive to heat.

Capsaicin is a molecule found in chili that causes spicy flavor.

When activated, these nerves send signals to the spinal cord and brain, which generate heat-related pain and heat awareness. The brain reacts by activating chemical reactions to cool the body and one of them is sweating.

Why do you sweat?

Because capsaicin sends signals to your brain to warn about overheating from which your brain will try to cool your body through certain mechanisms. Specifically, the hypothalamus is the thermoregulation center of the body (heat control center). This area of ​​the brain activates sweat glands in the body that begin to produce sweat after ingesting capsaicin. Sweat is released and eventually evaporates to cool the body. However, the ambient temperature may be cool so sweat will take a while to evaporate completely.

Why do chilli eat red face?

After eating spicy face you can also flush red.

In addition to sweating, after eating spicy face you can also flush red. According to USAToday, this happens because the hypothalamus sends signals that expand the blood vessels under the skin. The expansion of blood vessels helps blood flow and dispels the heat, resulting in the body being cooled. Therefore, flushing is a cooling reaction when the body absorbs capsaicin, however this can also occur in a cool environment.

Neutralize capsaicin

You can drink alcohol or fat (like milk) to reduce the symptoms of sweating when eating chili.

Neutralizing the effect of capsaicin is important in controlling sweat reactions. Drinking water can solve the situation temporarily but capsaicin is not soluble in water so the effect will not last long. Capsaicin is soluble in alcohol and fat. Therefore, you can drink alcohol or fat (like milk) to reduce the symptoms of sweating when eating chili.