Why can we “taste” spicy foods with other parts of our body like our eyes or throat or when we use the bathroom, but we can’t do the same with other tastes?

Question

Why can we “taste” spicy foods with other parts of our body like our eyes or throat or when we use the bathroom, but we can’t do the same with other tastes?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers spicy, is just a painful irritant that gives off a warm feeling. This can happen anywhere on the body you have pain nerves. It’s not a flavor given off by a group of chemical compounds like sweet, savory, or salty, just your tongue reacting to being organically maced.