Q: Hi Dave,I love chiles–all kinds–but at times, when I eat spicy foods, I get an instantaneous reaction which is a bit difficult to describe. Most accurately, it makes my head "swim" and my eyes want to close. This happened in a very pronounced manner this evening at a Thai restaurant. We had a very spicy soup, and I have …
Damaged Taste Buds
Q: Dave,Is it possible to damage the heat sensors on the tongue? I’ve been eating chiles for years, but they just aren’t what they used to be.Thanks, Jim A: Hello Jim:Indeed, extremely hot chiles or hot sauce can damage your taste buds. However, the body replaces them every two weeks anyway, so any damage is temporary. For more information on this …
Gustatory Perspiration (Cold Sweat, Courtesy of Capsaicin)
Q: Hey Dave,I usually spice up my canned chicken chili lunch with a drop or two of some super hot sauce. Today I put in a bit more than I wanted, but ate the chili, mouth burning, anyway. Near the end of the meal I broke out in a cold sweat. It felt like my body was going into shock. …
Chiles And Weight Loss, Metabolism, Addiction
Q: Dear Dave,I am writing an article on chile peppers related to weight loss and metabolism. What are your thoughts on this? Has any new research arisen? Or, is there any consensus in the scientific community? I also wanted to know about the psychological addiction of chiles and how that differs from a physiological addiction. Thanks for all your help,Sincerely, …
Cayenne Caps With Or Without Food?
Q: Howdy! I was just reading your Q&A page about preparing for a Habanero Competition. You said, "It’s best not to eat hot chiles on an empty stomach." I’ve been wondering about that very thing since I’ve been taking cayenne caps (after reading The Healing Powers Of Peppers). Although I can take the burning sensation pretty well by now, it …