Did you know?
Chilli heat is not a taste. Capsaicin switches on TRPV1, the same pain receptor that reacts to real heat, so your brain reads it as burning.
Here is the science and history behind spicy foods, giving insights into why some people continue to pay the painful price for a little spice.
Why it matters for growers: Heat can vary a lot between pods, even on one plant, so we taste a small piece of each new harvest before we cook with it.
Source: TED-Ed