Last month, hot pepper expert Ed Currie received an acknowledgement that warmed his heart. His newly bred pepper, which he dubbed “Pepper X,” had been publicly named the hottest pepper in the world by ...

A new review explains how the fiery chemical in chili peppers rewires your gut bacteria and impacts your health, for better or worse, depending on dose, diet, and your unique biology. Review: ...

Ever wondered why spicy foods make your mouth feel like it's on fire? Ever wondered why spicy foods make your mouth feel like it's on fire? The answer lies in a chemical compound called capsaicin.

Adding a little spice to your diet can boost your health. Research has shown many health benefits of capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne pepper. But that doesn't necessarily mean you'll get ...

Spicy foods taste spicy because they contain a family of compounds called capsaicinoids. Capsaicin is the major culprit. It's found in chillies, jalapeños, cayenne pepper, and is even the active ...

Spicy food often provokes an immediate and visible reaction: flushed skin, watery eyes, and beads of sweat across the forehead. While this response might seem purely sensory, it reflects a deeper ...