Why does the brain find painful flavors such as spicy or sour pleasurable?

Question

Why does the brain find painful flavors such as spicy or sour pleasurable?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Spicy foods typically stimulate the immune system, and sour foods typically contain probiotics. There are exceptions, of course, but enough of these foods can be characterized as such that your body can develop a pleasurable response to them. It’s also worth noting that spicy foods — and possibly sour, I’m not sure — are enjoyed more often as a person ages, when their sense of taste is more likely to dull.