Why do humans enjoy eating spicy food? This week, Rosie explores the psychology behind why we choose to eat food with chillies in it, even when it can be physically painful, and the possible health benefits of adding more spice to your life. In our SNPit, Ash discusses a study investigating how humans perceive emotions in screams.   
 
Episode Sources:  

• Why Does Spicy Food Taste Hot?  
• A pleasure to burn: Why do people like spicy foods?  
• Gender differences in the influence of personality traits on spicy food liking and intake. 
• Antimicrobial and Anti-Virulence Activity of Capsaicin Against Erythromycin-Resistant, Cell-Invasive Group A Streptococci. 
• Antimicrobial Properties of Chili Peppers. 
• Food bacteria-spice survey shows why some cultures like it hot. 
• Spicy food may curb unhealthy cravings for salt.  
• Chili peppers for a healthy gut: Spicy chemical may inhibit gut tumors. 
• Neurocognitive processing efficiency for discriminating human non-alarm rather than alarm scream calls. 

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Music:    

AhDah Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com).     
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.     
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.