Chili Pepper News — Capsaicin

You may have a real craving for hot peppers and hot pepper products, but it turns out certain pests don’t exactly share your affection. Certain pests, like mice, are actually repelled by capsaicin. That’s, of course, the active component of chili peppers that makes them so hot.

Every hot sauce lover has asked themselves this question at least once in their lives even if he (or she) doesn’t normally suffer from ring sting. It’s a valid question. After all, super hot sauces burn the hell out of your mouth, making you sweat and cry as you swallow. Then, they burn like lava on the way out the next morning. Why don’t you ever feel as though your stomach might explode from the fiendish fire between the two points?

If you’ve ever wondered what exactly it is that makes hot peppers so hot, look no further than capsaicin. It’s the active component in hot peppers that brings on the intense heat. For people or mammals for that matter, it’s the capsaicin that’s responsible for the burning sensation. First coined in the 1800s, capsaicin is colorless, yet highly pungent.

If one particular food just looks better than another, it may be the color that’s drawing you in. It seems that your brain is hardwired to crave certain foods based on color, with red food getting the red-hot response. At least that’s what one particular survey by the International School For Advanced Studies found. Researchers discovered that when deciding what to eat based on calories, we’re dependent on color code to help seal the deal.