The Body's Reaction to Spicy Foods
Learning Objective
I can describe how spicy foods affect the body.
Key Concepts
The compound capsaicin, found in chili peppers, is responsible for the burning sensation we experience when eating spicy food.
The Scoville scale, created by Wilbur Scoville, measures a pepper's hotness in units ranging from 0 to 16 million.
Casein, a non-polar molecule found in milk and dairy products, can help extinguish the burn of capsaicin by dissolving and washing it away because 'like dissolves like'.
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 7 practice questions to reinforce learning.
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1. What is the name of the compound found in chili peppers that causes the burning sensation?
2. According to the video, what is one way capsaicin helps chili pepper plants?
3. Explain why dried peppers are often spicier than fresh peppers.
...and 4 more questions
Educational Video
Why Does Spicy Food Burn? The Painful Science of Capsaicin | Serving Up Science
PBS Food