What in capsaicin makes it spicy/hot? What element the chemical make up makes it act like it does?
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Capsaicin itself isn’t hot. It’s an irritant, designed to make whoever ingests it very uncomfortable and not do it again. Our bodies, because they’re a mess of “good enough” systems, interpret this irritating sensation as being akin to heat.
Why we like it so much is because our bodies release natural painkillers to try and subdue it. So we associate the mild discomfort of the irritant with a rush of endorphins.
Fun fact: birds are immune to capsaicin. This is because birds don’t digest the seeds of the peppers, instead they eat the flesh and the seeds pass through and get scattered to sow new plants. The plants are “happy” for this to happen as this is pretty much the point of fruit flesh & seeds. The irritant is a warning to mammals to say “hey, you’re gonna kill my seeds. Stop eating me.”
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