If you're reading this article on our site, it's likely that you have a genuine interest in, or even a pronounced addiction to, chillies, or are simply curious. Nevertheless, you always feel a burning sensation when you consume it in its HOTEST forms! We'll tell you why!
In reality, the tongue is lined with taste buds on which taste buds, made up of sensory cells, send nerve messages to our brain. These receptors, known as "vanilloid receptors", detect salty, sweet, cold or hot sensations.
Capsaicin, present in chillies, is activated by contact with the tongue. This molecule, a member of the capsaicinoid family, binds with the heat receptors that generally activate on contact with food over 44°C. In this way, the taste buds warn our brains that we're eating a food that's too hot, even though it's actually chilli pepper. They trigger a nerve signal which is interpreted by our brain as painful information, giving rise to the burning sensation.
The secretion of capsaicin is thought to be linked to the plant's defense strategy. Since mammals are the only ones sensitive to this molecule, it would dissuade them from ingesting the seeds.
So opt for milk, cheese or bread, or read our July 3, 2022 article, "Which Mastari sauce to choose?" to select the hot sauce with the intensity that suits you best!
Sources: Futura-sciences.com, Pourquoi le piment brûle-t-il la bouche, Nathalie Meyer, 28/06/2019
Sciencesetavenir.fr, Question de la semaine : Pourquoi le piment pique, Marie-Noëlle Delaby et Erwan Lecomte, 15/03/2019
Pour la science N°366, Pourquoi le piment brûle, Bernard Calvino et Marie Conrath, 01/01/2008
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