Effects of Spicy Food

Do you love spicy food? I do! But sometimes, I end up eating something that is way too hot for me and my eyes start watering like crazy. Have you ever wondered why that happens? Well, let me tell you!


It's all because of a nerve called the trigeminal nerve. This nerve is responsible for sensing things on our tongue, our face and our eyes. It helps us feel pain, temperature, touch and pressure.

Schematic illustration of the trigeminal nerve and the organs (or structures) it supplies.

When we eat spicy food, we are actually eating chemicals called capsaicinoids. These chemicals irritate the nerve endings on our tongue and send a signal to the brain that something is wrong. The brain then thinks that there is a problem in all the areas that the trigeminal nerve covers, not just the tongue.

Capsaicin


So, the brain activates a reflex to protect us from the irritation. This reflex makes us produce more tears in our eyes, more saliva in our mouth and more sweat on our face. These fluids help wash away the capsaicinoids and cool down the affected areas.


That's why we cry when we eat spicy food! It's not because we are sad or weak, but because our body is trying to help us cope with the heat. Isn't that amazing?


I hope you enjoyed this blog post about spicy food and tears. If you did, please share it with your friends and leave a comment below. And don't forget to try some spicy food today but be careful not to burn your tongue!

Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

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