The Real Reason Peppers are Spicy
SciShow's hot take: Peppers don't produce that spicy goodness for the reason you think! Hosted by: Hank Green Head to https://scishowfinds.com/ for hand ...
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If you’ve ever taken a bite out of a habanero, you might think the purpose of its spiciness is obvious. Eating it hurts. A lot. So for a plant, spice is a great way to tell us to not eat that. At first, that’s what scientists thought, too: that pepper plants evolved spiciness to deter mammals like us from eating their fruits. Joke’s on them! But careful research on wild peppers suggests that’s actually a secondary benefit at best. The real reason peppers are spicy probably has more to do with defending against much smaller dangers, like insects and mold. The main compound that makes peppers spicy is capsaicin. It binds with special heat-sensing receptors on your nerves, which is why spicy peppers feel like they’re burning you. And while lots of people like eating spicy foods, it...
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If you’ve ever taken a bite out of a habanero, you might think the purpose of its spiciness is obvious. Eating it hurts. A lot. So for a plant, spice is a great way to tell us to not eat that. At first, that’s what scientists thought, too: that pepper plants evolved spiciness to deter mammals like us from eating their fruits. Joke’s on them! But careful research on wild peppers suggests that’s actually a secondary benefit at best. The real reason peppers are spicy probably has more to do with defending against much smaller dangers, like insects and mold. The main compound that makes peppers spicy is capsaicin. It binds with special heat-sensing receptors on your nerves, which is why spicy peppers feel like they’re burning you. And while lots of people like eating spicy foods, it...
