A Set on edgi
Spicy Is Not a Taste
Your tongue has no receptor for heat. What you feel is your mouth reporting an injury that never happened.
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Chili Peppers
Chili peppers are the berry fruits of plants in the genus Capsicum, part of the nightshade family.
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Capsaicin
Capsaicin is the chemical compound that gives chili peppers their heat by triggering heat receptors in mammals while leaving birds unaffected.
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TRPV1 Receptors
TRPV1 receptors are ion channels in sensory nerve cells that detect scalding heat, acids, and pungent chemicals like capsaicin.
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Scoville Scale
The Scoville scale is a measurement system that rates the heat of chili peppers in units called Scoville Heat Units (SHU).
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Jalapeño
A jalapeño is a medium-sized chili pepper cultivar of the species Capsicum annuum, typically measuring 5 to 10 centimeters long.
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Habanero
Learn what the habanero pepper is, how capsaicin defends its seeds, where it originated, and how its heat works on the Scoville scale.
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Piperine
Piperine is a plant compound known as an alkaloid that gives black and long pepper their pungent bite.