Why do humans enjoy spicy food if it was originally created to be a defense mechanism against predators? Are their any other animals who enjoy spicy food?
In: 30
Capsaicin, the chemical in spicy food that sets off a specific pain/heat receptor in our mouth/tongue is specifically a defense against mammals–birds don’t seem to notice it. This works great for spicy peppers, as birds will eat them and poop their seeds intact over long distances, while mammals would tend to digest the seeds and make them useless.
Humans, however, are pretty good at learning. It becomes clear over time that capsaicin is a way to get a pain/heat response with no actual harm or tissue damage. Pain is generally followed by release of endorphins, the body’s system that opioids act on. If you can get a good harmless pain response, it can be followed by a sense of euphoria and well-being, which humans learn to like. Cultures have also used spicy food to promote sweating in hot weather, and have noticed that spices in general can keep food good longer. In cultures where spicy food is common, children learn to tolerate spicy food by imitating the “cool” older kids who have already mastered it.
To the other question: Tree shrews. There’s a small Asian mammal that eats spicy foods in quantity, though it seems to have simply evolved a weaker pain/heat response.
Latest Answers