logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2021
4m 36s

BrainStuff Classics: Does Spicy Food Bur...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Hot chili peppers can make you feel like your mouth is on fire, but are they actually doing any damage? Learn about the science of spice in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-science/can-spicy-food-burn-out-taste-buds.htm

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Today
How Do Octopuses Work?
These marine invertebrates can solve puzzles, use tools, and camouflage themselves by changing their very skin -- yet they live only three to five years, and die after mating. Learn more about octopuses in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on these articles: https://animals.ho ... Show More
13m 32s
Jul 29
How Do We Get Iron and Steel Out of Stone?
Iron processing is a benchmark of civilization for good reason -- this metal makes a lot of technology possible. Learn about the history and science of refining iron and steel in today's episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/iron.htmSee o ... Show More
11m 41s
Jul 27
Did a Journalist's Probe into JFK's Assassination Lead to Her Death?
In the mid-1900s, Dorothy Kilgallen was a famous journalist and popular media personality -- but her investigation into the deaths of President Kennedy and his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, may have gotten her killed, too. Learn about the alledged organized crime coverup Kilgallen ... Show More
13m 34s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
What makes jalapeños spicy, and what other crazy properties do they have?
tail spinning
35m 44s
Jul 2022
Spice, Spice, Baby! Why Some Of Us Enjoy The Pain Of Spicy Foods
Today, we talk about spicy food and its intersection with pleasure and pain as part of our "Taste Buddies" series — Short Wave's ode to "taste." In this episode, Host Emily Kwong talks to food reporter Ruth Tam and researchers Julie Yu and Nadia Byrnes about the science behind ou ... Show More
14m 15s
May 2024
Why does hot sauce make your nose run?
If you’re an adventurous eater you might have tried spicy cuisine, or maybe added hot sauce to your meals. Did your eyes water? Did your nose run? If so, that’s a totally normal response, and Otolaryngologist Erich P. Voigt is here to help us understand why that is. Got a burning ... Show More
5m 44s
Nov 2023
Is Spicy Food Good for You?
Not only delicious, but perhaps life-extending, too. This episode features audio from: Is Spicy Food Good for You? How Hot Peppers May Extend Your Life Visit the video pages for all sources and doctor’s notes related to this podcast. 
13m 2s
Jul 2022
Turning up the heat on chillies and their health benefits
If variety is the spice of life, then for some, a hot chilli dish is the ultimate way to add spice to life. But outside of the Mexican fiesta party happening inside your mouth and the waterworks from your sweat glands, could there be some benefits for your health? It's time to tu ... Show More
9m 3s
Sep 2018
Totally Spiced Out! (Encore - 9/24/18)
What in the world makes chili peppers hot? How in the world do we measure their spiciness? And where in the world are kids least likely to get spiced out? Get ready to be SPICED OUT with Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz in our hottest episode of Wow in the World yet! (Originally Aired De ... Show More
26m 39s
Sep 2025
The Great Sriracha Feud | If You Can't Stand the Heat | 3
Why has hot sauce gotten so - well, hot? Bon Appétit’s Joseph Hernandez sheds some light on the rise of condiment culture, and why the spicy stuff got so popular over the past ten years (even Mötley Crüe has a hot sauce line!). Later, we explore our biological reactions to spice ... Show More
43m 55s
Nov 2020
Is Chili A Soup?
The world loves spicy, greasy chili, but who cares about love when you can debate-- is chili soup? 
38m 37s
Jun 2024
Feel the burn: Why does spicy food hurt so much?
South Korea’s Buldak noodles are super spicy - and Denmark’s food regulator has now recalled some types of them, saying they could cause "acute poisoning". The company behind the noodles says there are no quality issues. They’re used in extreme food challenges that often go viral ... Show More
13m 29s