1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: Guess we bengo with that. Well, you're probably not gonna 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: be surprised to hear this, but I think I'm ready 3 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: for another spice. Really yeah, I've been training. I'm serious 4 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 1: about this now, listeners. So you know, Mango and I 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: both love spicy foods. It almost took professional help for 6 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: me to break my unhealthy addiction to jalapeno kettle chips 7 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: was a few years ago. Of course, I just traded 8 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: it out for another habit, and so now I eat 9 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: at least a couple of atomic fireballs every day. That's 10 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: probably an understatement. Maybe there's four or five. But when 11 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: it comes to eating spicy food, I always think I'm 12 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: a spice champ until I eat with Mango. So we'll 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: go to an Indian or a Sechuan place, will ard 14 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 1: up a few dishes with some extra spice. Our food 15 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: comes up, and that's when the sweating starts. It's so 16 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: irritating because I love the spiciness, I honestly do. But 17 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: you will be over there downing all this crazy spicy stuff, 18 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: even requesting these extra spice bombs like you do with 19 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: the Ramen place, and it doesn't seem to affect you 20 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: at all. Meanwhile, ten minutes in, I look like I've 21 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: just finished a marathon. It's ridiculous. Well, I mean, I'm 22 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: told you it doesn't matter, right, it's just as long 23 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: as you enjoy the food. Yeah, but the wait staff 24 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 1: always seems concerned, and you just look at them. It's 25 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: like you guys have the secret unspoken language. Will just 26 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: not and with that simple nod, it's as if you're saying, like, 27 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: it's okay, he's fine, he's just from Alabama, not India. 28 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: And then they look at you and they not as 29 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: if to say, we felt pretty safe and assuming he's 30 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: not from India, But are you sure he's okay? I mean, 31 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: just look at him over there. It's amazing this language 32 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: that you guys have. You look back as if to say, 33 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: trust me, he's fine. This happens every time. But if 34 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: you have a couple of bath towels, you know, one 35 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: for his forehead and one to soak up the pool 36 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: on the floor, that that that would be great. Well, 37 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure that's all in your head. We don't 38 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: have any sort of secret language. But I do have 39 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: these cards printed up. That's a what you're about to 40 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: see is them pretty but don't panic. That's thoughtful of you. 41 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: But either way, we both love spicy food and the 42 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: science of spicy food is fascinating to both of us. 43 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: So we had so many questions going into this episode. 44 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: How did humans evolved to enjoy spicy food, what does 45 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: it predict about our personalities if we enjoy that spicy kick? 46 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,239 Speaker 1: And is there any evidence that eating spicy foods could 47 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 1: help us live longer? So let's get started. Hey there, 48 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: podcast listeners, welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson 49 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: and as always I'm joined by my good friend Mangesh 50 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: how Ticketer and on the other side of the soundproof 51 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: glass demonstrating just how well he can take the heat, 52 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 1: that's our friend and producer Tristan McNeil. Now, I really 53 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: do wish our listeners could see this, because Tristan's assembled 54 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: this spicy food feast for the ages here. I mean, 55 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: look at this stuff that he's eating. He's got an 56 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: order of drunken noodles, a Sishwan hot pot, a bowl 57 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: of five alarm chili, a pile of ghost pepper chicken wings. 58 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: I mean, it's ridiculous, and he's just going to town 59 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: on all of this. Guy is a machine. I honestly 60 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: feel he's just like showing off at this point. I 61 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: feel like you should have, like that cartoon, steam coming 62 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: out of his ears, but he hasn't even broken a sweat. 63 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: It is a little bit eerie. Well all right. You know, 64 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: while most people enjoy adding at least a little spice 65 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: to their meals, some can definitely handle the heat better 66 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: than others. So we'll take a look at why that 67 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: is a little bit later in the show. But to 68 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: kick things off, I thought we should talk about what 69 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: makes spicy foods taste hot in the first place, or really, 70 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: I should say what makes us think that spicy foods 71 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: taste hot, Because you might remember from one of our 72 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: earlier episodes, the one we did on the science of flavor, 73 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: spicy isn't really a taste at all. In reality, the 74 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: burning sensations we feel from spicy foods, those are the 75 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: result of our sense of touch, rather than from taste 76 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: or smell. Yeah, I remember involvest like some sort of 77 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: chemical trickery, right, Like it has something to do with 78 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: how kept satan interacts with our touch receptors. Yeah, that's right. 79 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: So kept satan, of course, is the chemical and the 80 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: seeds and the tissue of the chili peppers that gives 81 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: them their heat. And you know, pepper plants actually evolve 82 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: kept satan as a protective measure, and this was to 83 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: help them, you know, protect them against animals and insects 84 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: so they can have a better shot at dispersing their seeds. So, 85 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: for instance, when humans and other mammals eat chili peppers, 86 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 1: we tend to make it so the seeds can't be 87 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: germinated later when we inevitably part ways with them and 88 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 1: we grind the seeds too much with our molars, or 89 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 1: else we destroy them completely in our harsh digestive tracks. 90 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: So as a deterrent to this, pepper plants started producing 91 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,919 Speaker 1: a chemical that activates these special touch receptors, and they 92 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 1: found all over the inner layer of our skin and 93 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: that includes our mouths now. This receptor is called trip 94 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: V one, and it's the body's early warning system for 95 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: hot temperatures. So think about if you sit on the 96 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: sun too long and your skin starts to burn a little, 97 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: or when your hand grazes the hot stove and you 98 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: know to pull it away really quickly. That's trip V 99 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: one at work. And this is where the chemical trickery 100 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 1: that you mentioned comes in because kept sastan actually works 101 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: by lowering the energy needed to activate those trip V 102 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: one defenses. So, while these receptors would typically read any 103 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: mouth temperature over a hundred and nine degrees fahrenheit as 104 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: a burn, once they've bonded with KEP sasan anything higher 105 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: than nine three degrees fahrenheit registers as dangerously hot. So 106 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: that's interesting. But I mean, the average mouth temperature for 107 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: humans is ninety eight point six, So kep sason actually 108 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 1: makes these receptors think your whole mouth is burning. Yeah, 109 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: that's exactly what happens, and that's why sometimes feels like 110 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: your entire mouth is on fire when you eat something spicy, 111 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: because you know, as far as your brain knows it, 112 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: it actually is. So then if we have these touch 113 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 1: receptors all over our body and not just in our mouths, 114 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 1: why don't we feel like our skin is burning anytime 115 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: we touch a chili pepper. Remember we're talking about the 116 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: inner layer of our skin that has these receptors, so 117 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: we can really only feel the burn of the peppers 118 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: on areas where our outer skin layer is thin enough 119 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 1: for that cap sason to get through. So the mouth 120 00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: is obviously one of the places the eyes are and 121 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 1: other and that's why you're never supposed to touch your 122 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: eyes after you've been handling chili peppers. And there are 123 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: also a few other thin skinned places that we don't 124 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: have the name here, but you can probably use your 125 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: imagination for these. Yeah. I actually remember reading this old 126 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: Hungarian proverb about how good paprika burns twice, so I 127 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 1: think I know where you're getting at. I love how 128 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: you always try to find a way to use a 129 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: Hungarian proverb, but I should mention that it's not just 130 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,479 Speaker 1: kept station that triggers this false flag burning sensation. You know. 131 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: Research also shows that trippy one receptors also respond to 132 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: other quote unquote hot foods, including black pepper and ginger. 133 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 1: And there's also trip a one that so called was 134 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: sabi receptor, and that's activated by a certain oil that's 135 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 1: found in foods like horseradish and mustards, onions, garlic, cinnamon, 136 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 1: and of course with sabi. I like how, at first 137 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 1: class it seems like all those plants have come up 138 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: with this genius way of making themselves unpalatable to mammals. 139 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: But then when you think about it. There's this one 140 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: stubborn species that doesn't seem to have gotten the memo right, 141 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 1: and humans, like, we love our spicy foods, and we 142 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 1: even have contest just to see how much heat we 143 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: can stomach. It's weird that we do these things that 144 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: cause pain, or at least make us think that we're 145 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: in pain. It is pretty strange when you when you 146 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 1: think about it. But there was this one researcher who 147 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 1: was a professor of psychology. His name was Paul Rosen. 148 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: This was back in the nineteen eighties, and he actually 149 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: proved that there is a connection between thrill seeking and 150 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: eating spicy foods. So here's how rose inputs it. He says, humans, 151 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: and only humans, seem to get pleasure out of innately 152 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: negative experiences when they are aware that the body signals 153 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: are not really threatening. There's a term for it. He 154 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: calls it benign masochism. And it's the same inclination that 155 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: makes it fun to write a rollercoaster or watch a 156 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: scary movie. I mean, all these things provoke these real 157 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: biological responses in our bodies, but since we know at 158 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: some level there's no real danger, the end result is 159 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: actually a pleasurable feeling rather than this purely painful one. 160 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: So I actually read up on where that pleasure stems 161 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: from and the it was pretty surprising because it turns 162 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: out while men and women both enjoy spicy foods, the 163 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: reason why they do it are completely different. So for women, 164 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: research shows that they simply like the burning sting that 165 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: spicy foods provide. And since cap sasan has been known 166 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: to trigger the release of endorphins, you know, maybe that's 167 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: not so surprising, right, it makes you feel good. But men, 168 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: on the other hand, tend to partake in spicy foods 169 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: because they like the attention. And bro, we like attention. 170 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: We love that spotlight. So there's no denying that. Downing 171 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: a whole plate of like hot wings, you know it's 172 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: going to get you some street cred in some circles. 173 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: And our culture actually views being able to withstand spicy 174 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: foods as a sign of strength and the lust for 175 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: that kind of like social glory that seems to drive 176 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: male spicy food fans more than anything else. Well, that 177 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: actually makes sense in a a lot of a study I 178 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: was reading about from a few years ago. The researchers 179 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: at the University of Grenoble, and they got together a 180 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,319 Speaker 1: hundred and fourteen men, and they brought them together in 181 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: a testing lab and had them sit down to a 182 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: meal of mashed potatoes and hot sauce. I don't know why, calm, 183 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: I don't know why it need to be mashed potatoes, 184 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 1: but actually I would do this, But how much hot 185 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: sauce was to be used was completely up to the participants. Now, 186 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: in the end, the men who used the most were 187 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 1: also the ones with the highest levels of testosterone. Not 188 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: only that, but those who have the spiciest palettes also 189 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: shared tendencies toward social dominance, aggression, and risk taking, all 190 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 1: of which have been linked already to high testosterone. It's 191 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: kind of crazy how much of a predictor if someone's 192 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,959 Speaker 1: personality can be for whether or not they like spicy foods. 193 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 1: Like appriendly people who are into action movies and really 194 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: adventurous hobbies are six times more likely to enjoy hot 195 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: foods than those who prefer tamor pastimes. Which is why 196 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: I know you were not part of this study, because 197 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: I know you love spicy foods. But if I think 198 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: about all the movies you've recommended over the years, the 199 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: ones that had the most action in them were probably 200 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: I don't know, like Rushmore and Amalie maybe having like 201 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: the least action packed movies ever. So I do love 202 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,080 Speaker 1: to read those descriptions of like aggression and dominance and 203 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: all that. So there's something great about it. I worked 204 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: in this Italian restaurant where all the white staff was Mexican, 205 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: and they were doing this thing where they got these 206 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 1: cucumbers and they put all the spice on it, and 207 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: they were calling the students over and one by one 208 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: giving them theseus and then uh, and then everyone's mouth 209 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:17,679 Speaker 1: was on fire. And then they called me over and 210 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 1: they were like watch, watch wasatch and they had anyone. 211 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: It's like it wasn't that spicy. It felt like a superpower. Yeah, 212 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: that's pretty pretty amazing, And I do wonder if it's 213 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,439 Speaker 1: always been that way, Like is that how humans started 214 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,440 Speaker 1: eating spicy food to begin with? You imagine like this 215 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: prehistoric daredevil that came along and decided to chew through 216 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,599 Speaker 1: that burn because he liked the adrenaline boost or I 217 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: don't really know. Yeah, I mean I was reading about 218 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: this archaeological dig from a few years ago where these 219 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: researchers found evidence that Europeans had been spicing up their 220 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: food for way longer than we once thought. Like Apparently 221 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: they found the remains of cooking pots from more than 222 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: six thousand years ago at three different dig sites, and 223 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 1: this is in northern Europe, and inside the pots they 224 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 1: found the bits of plant residue, some of which looked 225 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: a lot like modern day garlic mustard seeds. So I mean, 226 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: but what makes you sure that they were eating the 227 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 1: seeds for the heat specifically, Well, mustard seeds, like most 228 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: spicy plants we've been talking about, have next to no 229 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: nutritional values, so they wouldn't have been providing much energy 230 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: on their own, but they definitely would have added like 231 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: a sharp bite to whatever else was on the menu. 232 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: And that's ultimately what researchers believe we're dealing with here, 233 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,079 Speaker 1: the earliest known use of spices and cooking. That is 234 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: pretty interesting. And you know, I always assume prehistoric humans 235 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: had these bland diets for the most part. I don't 236 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 1: know why. I would just think about what was available. 237 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: So I just imagine like lots of cooked meat and 238 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: whatever edible plants that could scrounge up that might help 239 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:42,680 Speaker 1: them just survive with that being the main goal. So 240 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: it is kind of fond to hear that they might 241 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: have been experimenting with different foods and adding flavor just 242 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,559 Speaker 1: for flavors sake. Yeah, and I'm actually glad our ancestors 243 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: were willing to try new things, because that's likely why 244 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 1: spicy foods taste so good to us in the first place. 245 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: What do you mean. I thought we were in agreement 246 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: that spiciness is more of a mouth feel and not 247 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: a tape east. Yeah, I mean, we explain why our 248 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: bodies register certain foods is hot, but those foods still 249 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 1: carry their own flavors to I mean, think about what 250 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 1: a chili pepper tastes like. Right, it feels hot, but 251 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: it tastes kind of earthy or bitter or maybe even 252 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: mildly fruity. So you're saying we inherited a taste for 253 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: those flavors from like as far back as cave men. Well, 254 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: I mean maybe not cave mean exactly, but these beneficial 255 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: traits are passed down both culturally and genetically, and that 256 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: includes our preferences for specific flavors. All right, But is 257 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 1: liking the flavor of spicy foods a beneficial trade? I 258 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: mean you just said that most spices have basically zero 259 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: nutritional value though, right, that's true, but you've got to 260 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 1: keep in mind that spices have these antimicrobial properties that 261 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,559 Speaker 1: can be very useful for preventing food spoilage. So I 262 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:46,959 Speaker 1: think about chilies and other hot peppers, they can actually 263 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: kill up to seventy five of food born bacteria, and 264 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:54,320 Speaker 1: then spices like garlic, onion, oregano that can actually wipe 265 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: out the full So while today we mostly use spices 266 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 1: to enhance our foods flavor men, researchers actually think the 267 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,200 Speaker 1: original reason for using spices was to kill that food 268 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: born bacteria and fungi. And if that's the case, like 269 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: the people who ate those foods with antibacterial spices were 270 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: likely the healthiest ones in their communities. And not only 271 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: would these prehistoric chefs have passed on their cooking tips 272 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,559 Speaker 1: to their offspring, they also would have likely passed along 273 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: this taste for spicy bacteria killing cuisine. I think I 274 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: get it then, So from an evolutionary perspective, it makes 275 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 1: sense to have taste receptors that are well tuned to 276 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: spicy flavors, because you know, ultimately that would make us 277 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: likely to seek out foods that are protected against spoilage, 278 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: and I guess in theory would keep us alive longer exactly, 279 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 1: And making this connection between microbes and spices was no 280 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: easy task. A research team at Cornell only pulled it 281 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 1: off by scouring a mountain of data. And this included 282 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 1: nearly five thousand recipes from nine three cookbooks, and it 283 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 1: represented the traditional meat based cuisines of I guess thirty 284 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: six countries. And in the end, the researchers were able 285 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: to conclude that quote recipes are a record of the 286 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,319 Speaker 1: history of the evely snary race between us and our parasites. 287 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,199 Speaker 1: The micros are competing with us for the same food. 288 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: Everything we do with food, drying, cooking, smoking, salting, or 289 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: adding spices is an attempt to keep from being poisoned 290 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: by our microscopic competitors. They're constantly mutating and involving to 291 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: stay ahead of us. One way we reduce food born 292 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: illnesses is to add another spice to the recipe. Of course, 293 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 1: that makes the food taste different, and the people who 294 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: learned to like the new taste are healthier for it. 295 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: All right, Well, speaking of health, I do want to 296 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: take a closer look at what spicy foods can and 297 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: can't do to our bodies, including whether they can actually 298 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: help us live longer. But before we crank up the heat, 299 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: let's cool off with a quick break. You're listening to 300 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius, and we're talking about the mouth watering 301 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: signs behind some of our favorite spicy foods. All right, 302 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: make up. So a minute ago you were telling us 303 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: about the ability that's certain spices have to repel bacteria, 304 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: and humans aren't the only animal to reap that benefit. 305 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: For example, I was reading about a study where researchers 306 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: at Virginia Tech found that when chickens infected with Salmonella 307 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: eat a kept sation heavy diet, the germs within their 308 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: internal organs are reduced by half when you compare those 309 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: two infected chickens that just eat a normal So, I mean, 310 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 1: I've got to ask you, if you already eat the 311 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: chili eating chickens, like, would they taste spicier? You know? 312 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: Knowing how much I used to love the spicy chicken 313 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: sandwich from Wendy's, don't you think I thought about this? 314 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: I spent a lot of time wondering this. But I'm 315 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: afraid the answer is no, and they actually got a 316 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: taste panel together to determine that the flavor of the 317 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: chilis did not make its way into the meat. And 318 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: by the way, can you imagine being on this taste 319 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: being served a plate of chicken that was once riddled 320 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: with salmonella? I feel like the lack of spice would 321 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: be the least of my worries in that one. I know. Well, 322 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: what's crazy to me is that those chickens must have 323 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: scarfed down like a ton of chilies to kill such 324 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: a large percentage of bacteria area, and yet they didn't 325 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: even feel the peppers heat one bit. And this is 326 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 1: something else I know we touched on in our flavor episode. 327 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: But the reason for the chicken's immunity is that the 328 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: birds actually lack that trip the one food receptor, and 329 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: that actually makes them ideal customers for chili peppers, because 330 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: birds digestive tracts are much easier on seeds than those 331 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: of mammals. All right, so chili peppers and birds have 332 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 1: a pretty good thing going with one another. But I 333 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: do want to be selfish and and talk a little 334 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: bit more about what spicy foods can do for us. 335 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: Mango so you know, because the compounds found in our 336 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: go to spices actually have medicinal properties that humans have 337 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: relied on for centuries. For instance, you've probably heard that 338 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: some spices contain properties that reduce inflammation, including turmeric, ginger, 339 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: and garlic. And there was even a study out of U. C. 340 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: L A a a few years back where researchers use capsation 341 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: to hinder the growth of prostate cancer cells. And this 342 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: was this was in mice and and it actually left 343 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: their healthy cells intact. Not to be fair, there isn't 344 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: much evidence to suggest that eating chilies can prevent you 345 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: from getting cancer. But if nothing else, I mean, the 346 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: research gives some hope that peppers could help keep the 347 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 1: disease and check sometime in the future. Well, and there's 348 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 1: another area where scientists hope to harness this power of spice, 349 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: and that's with pain management. So we explained earlier how 350 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 1: cap says and activates receptors that trigger that familiar burning 351 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: sensation in our mouths. But what we didn't mention is 352 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 1: that our ability to perceive that burn is deadened the 353 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,199 Speaker 1: longer the chemical stays in your mouth. And so how 354 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: does that work. Well, there's this mysterious compound it's called 355 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: substance P and that's involved in this pain perception, and 356 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 1: it gets released when the cap station activates our pain receptors. 357 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: But after a while, our body's supply gets depleted and 358 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 1: the brain stops receiving these pain signals altogether. So, of 359 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: course cap station's ability to drain substance P and pain 360 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: perception is an exciting prospect for the medical community. In fact, 361 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,719 Speaker 1: it's already been used in these topical creams to treat arthritis, 362 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: and there's actually hope that it can be applied to 363 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 1: anesthesia and pain killers at some point too. You so 364 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: this a little off topic, but you mentioned how kept 365 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: satan continues to burn for as long as it stays 366 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: in our mouths, and actually, I'm just curious is there 367 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 1: a way to get it out of there faster? Because 368 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 1: you always hear that milk is great for soothing the 369 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: burning mouth, But most of the time when I'm eating 370 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,120 Speaker 1: something spicy, I don't have a glass of milk next 371 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 1: to me. So, but at least it's supposed to be 372 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 1: better than water, but I've never actually fact checked this. Yeah, 373 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: so definitely don't bother with water that that just spreads 374 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: the capt sastion around your mouth without killing any of 375 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: its heat, and instead, this is a case where the 376 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: rumors really are true, because milk can absolutely neutralize that 377 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: chili burn. And that's because dairy products and kept satan 378 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: both contain non polar molecules which are capable of dissolving 379 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: one another. But that doesn't Milks only trick because it 380 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:46,440 Speaker 1: also contains something called casin, and this protein is able 381 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 1: to attract kept says and molecules to itself. So not 382 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 1: only will milk or ice cream neutralize the kept sacan 383 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 1: molecules that happens to touch, but it actually pulls any 384 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: stragglers off of our trip V one receptors and it 385 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 1: dissolves those as well. I always wondered whether that actually works, 386 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: But that that makes sense, all right. Well, there's one 387 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 1: more potential health benefit to eating spicy foods that I 388 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: want to talk about, and that's the idea that doing 389 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: so will actually help you live longer. And believe it 390 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: or not, there is some research to back up this claim. 391 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,120 Speaker 1: Back in two thousand fifteen, there was an international team 392 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: of researchers and they were taking in an in depth 393 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: look at the connection between spicy food consumption and longer lifespans. 394 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: And what they found was that eating spicy food at 395 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: least once a day for six or seven days a 396 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:34,439 Speaker 1: week can actually lower mortality rates by four when compared 397 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 1: to eating spicy food just once a week. So I 398 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:39,880 Speaker 1: love this idea of eating spicy food that many times 399 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: a week, but who actually eats that much spicy food? 400 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: I don't know who does well. The researchers were very 401 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 1: smart about this because they focused their study on Chinese people, 402 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:50,679 Speaker 1: who tend to eat way more spicy dishes on average 403 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: than most other cultures. And on that front, the team 404 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: had no shortage of volunteers. They actually studied the diets 405 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 1: of almost half a million people in China. Now, all 406 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: the participants were between the ages of thirty and seventy nine. 407 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: They all agreed to take part in the study for 408 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: a full seven years. That's kind of amazing. So what 409 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: did the study consist of exactly? Well, the participants were 410 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 1: surveyed about how often they eat spicy foods and which 411 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: kinds of spices that they liked most, and then the 412 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: team followed up with im periodically to see how their 413 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: health was holding up and if there were any major 414 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: changes to their diets. During the seven year span of 415 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 1: the study, more than twenty thousand of these subjects died, 416 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:31,120 Speaker 1: But after factoring in things like smoking and income and 417 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: several other factors, the scientists found that the daily chili 418 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 1: eaters really did have a lower chance of dying prematurely. 419 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: And not only was the overall risk of death lower 420 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: for them, the mortality rate for specific causes was to 421 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: and you know this included conditions like cancer and certain 422 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 1: forms of heart and respiratory disease as well. That's pretty incredible, 423 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: But eating spice foods every day is probably too much 424 00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: for people who weren't raised on that kind of diet. 425 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: Was there any upside to like a more modest spicy 426 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: food diet? Actually there was, I was curry about the 427 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,199 Speaker 1: same thing. So the researchers found that those who ate 428 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: spicy food once or twice a week still had a 429 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 1: mortality rate ten percent lower than those of people who 430 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 1: avoided spicy food altogether. And while these are pretty modest 431 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: numbers overall, it's still impressive that a single type of 432 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: food could have that much of an effect on our 433 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: risk of death. But in fairness, the study never actually 434 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,679 Speaker 1: proved causation. I mean, there could have been other factors 435 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,919 Speaker 1: beyond spicy food consumption that would, you know, give participants 436 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: alonger lifespan than others. But you know, if you're a 437 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: fan of spicy foods already, i'd say upping your intake 438 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: probably couldn't hurt. Well, I'm glad you gave that little 439 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:39,480 Speaker 1: disclaimer because one thing I noticed while researching is that 440 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: there's an awful lot of misinformation out there about spicy foods. 441 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: And you know, the Internet is chock full of stories 442 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 1: about how eating too many palapenos will give you an ulcer, 443 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 1: or how kept satan can burn off your taste buds. 444 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: So with that in mind, I thought it might be 445 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: fun to take a look at some of these claims 446 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: and see which ones hold water and which ones are 447 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 1: just hot air. All right, that sounds good, But before 448 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:15,359 Speaker 1: we get to it, let's take another break. Okay, man, go, 449 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: So let's debunk some fiery food miss Where do you 450 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: want to start? Definitely, So let's go with one I 451 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:23,160 Speaker 1: already mentioned, which is that spicy foods can cause ulcers 452 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 1: and acid reflux. And this one gets a lot of 453 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: traction because plenty of people report acid reflux or heartburn 454 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,919 Speaker 1: after eating chili peppers or hot sauce. And for a 455 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,880 Speaker 1: long time, doctors actually thought spicy foods where the main 456 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: cause of ulcers and like. But now we know better 457 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: because scientists were able to identify the stomach bacteria that's 458 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 1: actually responsible for these conditions. All right, what about the 459 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:47,959 Speaker 1: people who get heartburn or acid reflux after eating something spicy? 460 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,360 Speaker 1: Are you saying that's just a coincidence or what? No? 461 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: Definitely not so. Hot peppers can certainly aggravate these kinds 462 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: of pre existing conditions, but they actually can't cause them. 463 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 1: So someone who's been diagnosed with gurd, for instance, might 464 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 1: want to steer clear of chilies. But there's no truth 465 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,160 Speaker 1: to the idea that eating too much spicy food will 466 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: bring on these conditions and people who don't already have them. 467 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:10,800 Speaker 1: All right, Well, what about this urban legend you sometimes 468 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 1: hear about people overdosing on hot sauce. I mean, it 469 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: sounds far fetched, but some folks really put this stuff 470 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,159 Speaker 1: on everything. So the idea of using too much of it, 471 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 1: I mean, it does maybe seem plausible, So I believe 472 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:24,400 Speaker 1: it or not, this one is actually true. So cap 473 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:27,640 Speaker 1: sasan is a super deadly poison in its pure form, 474 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: which is why most hot sauces only contained trace amounts 475 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:34,159 Speaker 1: of the substance. And still, if you consumed enough hot sauce, 476 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 1: it could definitely do some damage. For example, there was 477 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 1: this one study that concluded that a person of average 478 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: weight would have to ingest nearly half a gallon of 479 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:45,400 Speaker 1: Tabasco sauce to overdose and pass out. So of course 480 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:47,159 Speaker 1: it would take a lot more than that to actually 481 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 1: kill you, but it's totally possible in theory. You know, mango, 482 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:52,639 Speaker 1: you can actually die from drinking too much water. I 483 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:55,200 Speaker 1: don't know if I feel like maybe I should share 484 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 1: this story, but if you remember when we were in college, 485 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: we were sitting around on one of the quads the air, 486 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: and this reporter came up and there had unfortunately been 487 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: a death from somebody who had, you know, had way 488 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: too much alcohol one night, and so obviously that's a 489 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: very serious story. But we're all just looking to sit 490 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: around and have a good time outside and suddenly there 491 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: was a reporter wanting to ask us all these questions, 492 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: and she asked the question, did you know you can 493 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: die from drinking too much alcohol? I said, you can 494 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: die from drinking too much water. And so the very 495 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: next day this one story, the only time I was 496 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: ever quoted in the local newspaper was Will Pearson reports, 497 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:30,679 Speaker 1: you can die from drinking too much water. So it 498 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:33,120 Speaker 1: is a fact. That was one of our first facts. 499 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: So having that much hot sauce in your bag maybe 500 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: isn't the greatest idea. And and actually, you know, the 501 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: gym is another place where hot sauce won't do you 502 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 1: any favors. Speaking of other myths, it always heard that 503 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: spicy foods can help boost your metabolism. The idea there 504 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: is that when your body gets all hot and sweaty 505 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: while eating spicy foods, that it must be burning calories 506 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 1: in the process, you know, since that's what happens when 507 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: you exercise. But suddenly that's not the case with capsationan 508 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 1: Studies have shown that any increase in metabolic rate broad 509 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: on buy spicy foods is statistically negligible. So, in other words, 510 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 1: the thousand calories you get from an over stuffed burrito, 511 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: you can't really undo that by just putting a lot 512 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: of hot sauce on it. Well, since you just took 513 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: a potential benefit of spicy foods off the table, I'm 514 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: going to even things out and do the same thing 515 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 1: with one of its potential harms. So you've probably heard 516 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: that rumor that too much spice can do permanent harm 517 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 1: to your taste buds, and I mean it doesn't sound 518 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:28,920 Speaker 1: too crazy on paper, right, Like kept satan can lead 519 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: to such an overwhelming mouth burn that it can be 520 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 1: tough to taste anything else for a while, which might 521 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: make you think that your taste buds are well and 522 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: truly busted. But the good news is that kept satan 523 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 1: doesn't damage your taste buds tissue at all. Yeah. I 524 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: was actually gonna say, you know, much like hair, taste 525 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,880 Speaker 1: buds are constantly being replaced, so the idea of doing 526 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:50,160 Speaker 1: permanent damage to them it doesn't really make much sense. Yeah, 527 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 1: I mean, eating hot foods and I'm talking temperature here 528 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 1: and not spiciness can kill taste buds, but like you said, 529 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: those are replaced pretty often, so even that wouldn't be permanent. 530 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: And when it comes to capt sation, there's really no 531 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 1: risk at all because, like we've been saying, the chemical 532 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: interacts with their heat sensing receptors, not our taste buds. 533 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 1: So even if your tongue feels numb after eating something spicy, 534 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: your taste buds are totally fine. All right. Well, now 535 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: that we've covered some things that spicy foods can't do 536 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: to your body, I do quickly want to go over 537 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: some of the things that actually they can do. So 538 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 1: for starters, spicy foods like curries, hot sauce and with 539 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 1: sabi absolutely can make your nose run. And the reason 540 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: why comes down to the natural irritants those foods contain. 541 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 1: So in the case of chili peppers, that would be captation. Now, 542 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 1: when the chemicals come in contact with your mucus membranes, 543 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: the membranes get inflamed and switched into defense mode. And 544 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: this is where things get runny, because those membranes start 545 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: producing mucus in order to trap any irritants that might 546 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: be floating around unchecked. Then any captured intruders are drained 547 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 1: out through the nasal passage. So that really is sound 548 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:57,439 Speaker 1: advised to, you know, eat hot soup or something when 549 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 1: you want to clear out your sinuses. Actually I always 550 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: been told that, but really I have learned more recently 551 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 1: that that's not the case, because while eating something spicy 552 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: can provide temporary relief for stuff he knows in the 553 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: long run, this may actually cause more harm than good. 554 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 1: So if you think about, the chemicals I mentioned can 555 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 1: also irritate the muscles in your nose, and that causes 556 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 1: them to let in more air than they normally would. 557 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 1: And when this happens, the receptors in the nose inform 558 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,359 Speaker 1: the brain that you're breathing much easier. So the net 559 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 1: result is that you think the hot souper whatever worked 560 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: its magic, but in reality, you've just fallen for yet 561 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: another one of capsuations chemical tricks. Now, once the heat 562 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,880 Speaker 1: wears off, your nose muscles contract again and you're back 563 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 1: to feeling all stuffed up, except now you've got a 564 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: bunch of extra snot on top of everything else, and 565 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 1: it actually leaves you worse off than you were before. 566 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 1: How crazy, I've never heard that before. So, being of 567 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: spicy rigans that do a number on your insides, do 568 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 1: you know something similar happens in our intestine when we 569 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:57,199 Speaker 1: eat spicy foods. You might remember from the Flavor episode 570 00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 1: that we don't just have taste buds in our mouths, 571 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 1: but all throughout our bodies, including in our colon and 572 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:07,160 Speaker 1: intestines and when these intestinal buds, since the inflammatory chemicals 573 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 1: we've been talking about, they really a message to the 574 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: brain telling it to get these airton's out of the body. 575 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,479 Speaker 1: A s, A p wow. So this is why spicy 576 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: foods can make some people nauseous or or even send 577 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:20,000 Speaker 1: them running the bathroom. Exactly so the brain responds to 578 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: the threat by speeding up bowel movements, and if you 579 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 1: eat something especially spicy, your body basically goes to death. 580 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 1: Con one for examtly, I read this case study about 581 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 1: a guy who ate a bunch of ghost peppers at 582 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: an eating contest, and he actually threw up so hard 583 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: as a result, he actually tore a hole in his esophage. 584 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: Was the guy? Okay? He was? And thankfully he got 585 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: treatment fast enough to prevent what otherwise could have been 586 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: a pretty nasty death. I'm guessing he'll lay off the 587 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 1: ghost peppers from now on too. But that's not like 588 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: Tristan over here has been dominating his spread of spicy 589 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: foods for what like half an hour. Now. I don't 590 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: know what's going on with this guy, but that intestinal 591 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: irritation should have kicked in by now. What do you think? Yeah, 592 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 1: I mean, I I think he's got a stomach of steel. 593 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: But it's only a matter of time at this point. 594 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: All right, well we better work quick. So what do 595 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 1: you say we get to the fact off Yeah. So, 596 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if you realize this, but our offices 597 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: sit in the second spiciest city in America, and these 598 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 1: are the cities where people most commonly order spicy foods 599 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: at restaurants. This is according to grub Hub. Charlotte actually 600 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: takes the crown at number one, and it's followed by Atlanta, 601 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: then Austin, Dallas, and then San Francisco. Okay, so, given 602 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 1: your love of spice and the ability to look as 603 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: cool as a cucumber when you eat spicy foods, I've 604 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: got a place for you to visit. So have you 605 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: ever been to the Brick Lane curry House in New York? 606 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 1: So they have this ridiculously hot curry and they put 607 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 1: customers up to the challenge to see who can finish 608 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 1: the dish that it served him. It's actually so hot 609 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: that the chef wears a gas mask as he prepares it. 610 00:29:56,280 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 1: But if you finish it, you'll get a free beer, 611 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: a picture on their website, and it's certificate showing you've 612 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 1: done it, a certificate mango. Well that sounds nice, but 613 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: I'm actually going for a bigger prize. And that's why 614 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 1: I think I'm going to take on the Inferno Soup 615 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: Challenge at Nitaly's Time mex Cuisine in St. Petersburg, Florida, 616 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: and the soup has noodles and chicken and a bunch 617 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 1: of vegetables, but it also has crushed ghost peppers and 618 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 1: lots of other peppers. To try it out, you actually 619 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 1: have to be over eighteen. You have to be of 620 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 1: sound mind and health, and of course sober. And it 621 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: wasn't until two twelve that someone finally managed to finish 622 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: off a bowl and they won undred bucks as a result. 623 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 1: That is a lot of money, but I can't imagine 624 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 1: that it's worth it for the pain that that must 625 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 1: go at all. So I was actually laughing about this. 626 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: I was reading about how many Mexicans are often puzzled 627 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: by how Americans basically guzzle sauce. I mean, we love 628 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 1: it that much. It was a great quote from a 629 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 1: chef that was interviewed by The New York Times. He's 630 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: based in Mexico, and he said, watching someone shovel in 631 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,719 Speaker 1: sausa with tortilla chips is strange to Mexicans, like how 632 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,720 Speaker 1: an American would feel watching someone drink sal addressing out 633 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 1: of a bottle. So speaking himself. So, I'm not sure 634 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 1: if you remember this, but back in the U s 635 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 1: DA officially declared salsa vegetable and this allowed schools to 636 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: start serving it more and and this of course irked 637 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: ketchup makers because they had tried and failed to get 638 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 1: the same designation years before. This does make me feel 639 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,280 Speaker 1: a little bit better about all of our salza consumption 640 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: when we go to Mexican restaurants and you find of 641 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: frightening how much we eat when we're there. But yeah, 642 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 1: now we're eating a lot of vegetables. I'm pretty sure 643 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 1: this means we're super healthy eaters. The five tortilla chips 644 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:36,000 Speaker 1: are are good for you to write, let's go with Yes, 645 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 1: we'll do it an episode on that on a later date. 646 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:40,440 Speaker 1: So I'm going to declare you the winner of today's 647 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 1: fact off. Congratulations Mango, Thanks so much well, and thank 648 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 1: you guys for listening. Thanks again for listening. Part Time 649 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:53,719 Speaker 1: Genius is a production of How Stuff Works and Wouldn't 650 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 1: be possible without several brilliant people who do the important 651 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,600 Speaker 1: things we couldn't even begin to understand. Christa McNeil does 652 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 1: the endit thing. Noel Brown made the theme song and 653 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: does the mixey mixy sound thing. Jerry Rowland does the 654 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:07,960 Speaker 1: exact producer thing. Gabe Bluesier is our lead researcher, with 655 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 1: support from the Research Army including Austin Thompson, Nolan Brown 656 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:13,400 Speaker 1: and Lucas Adams and Eves. Jeff Cook gets the show 657 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:15,520 Speaker 1: to your ears. Good job, Eves. If you like what 658 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: you heard, we hope you'll subscribe, And if you really 659 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: really like what you've heard, maybe you could leave a 660 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: good review for us. Do we do? We forget Jason? 661 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:22,960 Speaker 1: Jason who