What causes foods like radishes, horseradish, and ginger to taste spicy?

Question

I understand that capsaicin is what makes peppers hot, but the items I mentioned in the title, and more, feel like a different kind of spicy! They don’t have heat like peppers.

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Allyl isothiocyanate in radishes and zingerone, shogaol and various gingerols in in ginger.

All of them(and piperine from black pepper) act on the same receptors as capsaicin, but weaker and for a shorter time. This is why they don’t have the same lasting heat feeling.