Why do we like to eat chili?

Chili is usually part of our diet, especially if we are Mexican; we know very well that the effects it causes are not the most pleasant, and despite the burning in the mouth and the watery eyes, we keep putting it in our food, but why? What makes us want to eat it?

First, let's clarify something: spiciness is not a flavor. It is not classified in the same category as sweet, salty or bitter, because, unlike the others, spicy is not perceived through the taste buds; rather, it is perceived by subtype 1 of the vanilloid receptor, called transient receptor potential V1 (TRPV1); these receptors are proteins that are part of our nervous system and are located on the tongue and in the mouth.

When we eat food with chili, the TRPV1 receptors detect its effects in the same way they would detect a burn in our mouth; but unlike what would happen if we burned our mouths with a sip of very hot coffee, chili does not damage the tissue of our tongue; however, the pain and burning in the mouth are sent to the brain by the same signals.

What causes the spicy sensation is a chemical compound called capsaicin, which is found in glands inside the chili; this compound originally arose as a natural adaptation of wild plants to protect themselves from mammals without driving birds away, since they are the ones that spread the seeds of the chili through their excrement. Birds, unlike mammals, have TRPV1 receptors that are insensitive to capsaicin, so they do not perceive the burning sensation; humans are practically the only mammals that eat chili voluntarily, fully aware of its effects.

The reason for consuming this food lies mainly in the fact that, in our brain, the sensations of pain and pleasure are often perceived as similar, since both activate the same areas of the cortex and release dopamine in our system. As a result, we come to associate the pain of chili with pleasant effects, an effect that can also be seen in people who enjoy riding roller coasters, watching horror movies, or any activity that causes unpleasant effects but does not represent a risk for the health and well-being of the person.

It should be added that despite its effects, chili eaten in moderation is beneficial for our body, as it is one of the foods with the highest vitamin C content (about 144 mg per 100 g), and, according to the IMSS (Mexican Social Security Institute), it protects against cholesterol and is effective against rheumatic diseases; this aspect is also an influential factor in our consumption of chili, because as our body likes it, we like it and it makes us love it.