Why Do We Eat (and Enjoy) Painfully Spicy Foods? | What’s Eating Dan

What is chemesthesis? We'll let Dan explain that one. But it has to do with painfully spicy foods (chili peppers, ginger, olive oil, bubbly drinks!) and why many of us enjoy eating them.

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[ianc.]

Plant: develops a defense mechanism over hundreds of thousands of years to deter animals from eating it.
Humans: I'll have that, please.

[wiwychen]

Please do Mustard! Your explanation of the effect of vinegar on the horseradish applies to mustard making, but there are not many explainers on the science and how to get mustard right each time. Thanks!

[RubyTwilite]

When I was a kid I didn't like soda, I said "It burns in my mouth and throat!" Nobody believed me. I feel very validated today. Thanks Dan.

[pameladonner]

I'm an organic chemist, Dan, and it is so great that you are not only talking about the science and chemistry of these foods, but are showing actual chemical structures! Good Job!

[bastet]

SO THAT'S WHY I CAN'T DRINK SODAS & SPARKLING WATER??!!!
When I was a kid, it was hard to be the only one who couldn't drink Coke or Fanta sodas because it burned mouth so bad. I feel soooo much better about it now that I know it's not just me. 🙂

[JamesPotts]

No, Dan, that "Chili's" is a completely other type of pain.

[davidhalldurham]

I absolutely LOVE this series. Dan is always entertaining and I always learn new things.

[bigdaddio]

Cap'n Crunch which is like eating sweetened lightbulbs....

[BenGilbertForReal]

These videos continue to be just outrageously great. Cannot say thank you enough! Absolutely fascinating and very entertaining!

[PokhrajRoy.]

Shogaol, Gingerol and Zingerol sounds like a great name for Triplets.

[jamesking]

If food is spicy bc the chems fit into my tongue receptors so well… then why does my butt burn the next day???

[kendebusk]

One of my uncles worked for the circus in a sideshow. His talent was eating light bulbs. When he started to gain some weight, he decided a diet was in order so he switched from 100 watt bulbs to the 60 watt variety ;)

[gilbys]

Dan, with this episode you’ve made me catch the feels for ya!

❤️‍🔥

[timp]

light bulbs are crunchy, everybody loves crunch.

[te]

Dan, you're the best - always entertaining, lots of interesting information, and, well, pretty cute too...

[arlenfaz]

Is that German rye or German pumpernickel there at the end? It really resembles the latter ( and it's my favourite bread in the whole world, just a horribly long process to make)

[johnnyace]

you thought about making this episode and I thought about marrying you the entire episode

[sisgaia]

"That is not what it stands for." LOL

[PokhrajRoy.]

Out of Context Dan Souza: “Please, please, don’t eat lightbulbs.”

[fariesz]

nice one, especially liked the comparison of molecules.
just one thing: málà is actually the flavour profile you get when combining sichuan pepper's numbing (má) with classical spicy heat (là) from chilis or black pepper. i also heard pink berries are similarly numbing when fresh and that brazilian cuisine thus occasionally uses a similar flavour combination, but i don't know enough about their cuisine unfortunately.