spices

Burning mouth: does the chili produce heat?

It will have happened to everyone at least once to have the " mouth on fire " after having exaggerated the doses of chilli.

Although the sensation is very similar to that caused by the ingestion of too hot food, this perception does not depend on a real increase in the oral cavity temperature.

This sort of virtual fire instead depends on the activity of capsaicin, a chemical compound capable of stimulating the same receptors that are activated to signal to the brain damage from abrasion or burns due to excessive heat.