Why Do We Eat (and Enjoy) Painfully Spicy Foods? | What’s Eating Dan



What is chemesthesis? We’ll let Dan explain that one. But it has to do with painfully spicy foods (chili peppers, ginger, olive oil, bubbly drinks!) and why many of us enjoy eating them.

Get the recipe for DIY Prepared Horseradish:
Get the recipe for Fresh Horseradish Bloody Mary:
Get the recipe for Horseradish Sauce:
Get the recipe for Horseradish Mashed Potatoes:

Learn more about chemesthetics:
Buy the book The Food of Sichuan:

Watch the hot sauce episode:
Watch the olive oil episode:

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29 Comments

  1. I enjoyed this video and was surprised to learn that the Ginger-related compounds fit into the same receptor as capsaicin. I've always appreciated the science approach of ATK and Cook's Illustrated. There is a minor mistake in the chemical structures at ~ 3:46. The OH group should be opposite the main chain (or at the 4 position on the benzene ring) and the CH3O group should be at the 3 position on the ring.

  2. Dan, I really enjoy your episodes. However, I haven't finished watching this one yet (I know, it's more than a year old but I don't know why I hadn't watched until now) and I have to know which book is the one shown at 0:57. It seems to be a dictionary or glossary and I LOVE books on language. I'm a translator and I collect dictionaries 😀 So, would you please tell me? Also, crossing my fingers that you can read this comment a year and a half later hahaha Thanks!

  3. Has Dan covered mustard in one of his videos yet? Some compounds in mustard trigger the trigeminal nerve pathway, which helps to open the nasal passages – you might also feel a weird 'zingy' tingling sensation running from your nose up the sides of your cheekbones. That's the trigeminal nerve pathway being triggered. 🙂 Only works with mustard that has a LOT of mustard seed in it, though – Colman's English always works for me. I guess it's similar to the effect from horseradish and wasabi, although it might be a different chemical compound causing the sensation.

  4. When I lived in Mexico, I discovered that Mexico has the most delicious pineapple on earth (apparently from the state of Tabasco, but I could be mistaken). What I discovered is that I couldn't stop eating it, even when my lips were bleeding!!!

  5. I was just curious because I consume a lot of Bird Eye Chilli's I like them fresh as they are Crunchy and suites a lot of our Dishes here Paired with Rice.

    Pickled versions of these in Vinegar is a Favorite for Soup Base Dishes just add the Vinegar infused with Bird Eye's Chili and Garlic.

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