Think about the spiciest dish you’ve ever put in your mouth—maybe you’ve had some enchiladas or fajitas that packed some heat, or perhaps you’ve indulged in phaal curry (otherwise known as the spiciest meal on Earth). Now, think about the taste. Hard to describe, right? But even if you like spice, you probably thought it was uncomfortable. And that’s because when we eat ultra-spicy foods, it actually causes a painful sensation in the mouth. It’s not sweet, salty, bitter, sour, or umami (the five main tastes our tongues can detect), but pain.
We hear you. Pain does not sound like something we should be inflicting on ourselves. But actually, in the case of spicy food, a little bit of pain might be kind of, well, good. In fact, it may induce endorphins for some people, but not necessarily everyone, which explains why many do not enjoy eating spicy foods but plenty of others…