Why do us humans enjoy spicy food so much?

[xJeremyx]

I'm getting mala stir-fried noodles for dinner 😋😋

Why is spicy food so nice?

[purplepoppy]

The pain and pleasure parts of the brain are next to each other. By taking a mild pain like biting into a chilli you also stimulate the pleasure side. Spicy food is oral bdsm.

[xJeremyx]

So you are saying I'm into BDSM? 😂😂

[Chazmatazz269]

Let’s get clearer about “spicy”. Salt is a spice, so is sugar. I suspect you’re referring specifically to spices that we describe as “hot”.
Most of these things offer flavor profiles that can’t be matched without the heat, and they are YUMMY! Ell oh ell!
Even the crazy hot stuff tends to compel euphoria through endorphins. So us crackheads will try everything looking for that buzz!

[xJeremyx]

I usually refer to salt as a condiment, not a spice.

And where I live, we use hot and spicy interchangeably, sometimes even together.

[Chazmatazz269]

Well, salt is not a condiment. Neither is pepper, nor sugar. They are most definitely spices.
If “hot” means spicy, how do you describe something once it is heated to an adequate temperature for safe consumption?

[xJeremyx]

We just say its hot, in that case. And we know what we are talking about, somehow. The food is still hot --> its temperature is too high.
Wow this dish is nice and hot! Its probably nice and spicy. We will know depending on the dish you quote. For local dishes, that is.

[Chazmatazz269]

I go to great lengths to avoid those kinds of miscommunications. People sometimes say i talk funny, but i’m okay with that.
I use almost exclusively hot spices in my food. Usually a hot sauce, actually; sometimes fresh or dried peppers. Never salt, but occasionally garlic. So, in my home, spicy always means hot spicy. Rarely will i eat something that’s like “challenge” level spicy, but i do. I have made mistakes with things like habaneros and ghost peppers, and accidentally made something regrettably spicy! Ha!

[jennifer_bloom]

I think the spices highlight the other flavours of the food, just like the happy parts of a movie become more valuable if it is combined with scary parts, but without scary segments in the movie, you take the good segments of the movie for granted.

[PBandJ_Nerd]

Not quite sure except that it tastes good. My one friend doesn't understand how I can eat spicy foods, mainly spicy junk food & candy. I'd love eating flaming hot cheetos, spicy chex mix, spicy nacho doritos, and the list goes on.

[xJeremyx]

How about a nice plate of spicy fried chicken?

[PBandJ_Nerd]

I've eaten mild buffalo boneless wings before so yeah. My stomach doesn't take kindly to fried chicken breading though.

[xJeremyx]

Or a nice salted egg sauce made with fragrant small chillies (more potent than regular chillies)

Oh, also dried chillies are excellent.

[PBandJ_Nerd]

I like dried red pepper flakes for soups and ramen.

[xJeremyx]

Those are great for making curry and stir-fried dishes too

[midnightmoon05]

No idea. It’s so addictive!
We had that for dinner as well.
my husband gets a lot of energy from eating Mala spicy foods.

[xJeremyx]

Dont need to say spicy after mala. Mala （麻辣）literally means numb and spicy haha

I love the stuff. Its great.

[Anonymous]

People like variety and they have different tastes.

[Lucy68]

To me it taste so good

[Anonymous]

spicy food releases endorphins