Does spicy food cause mucus in throat

It’s the worst when you eat a nice hot curry, or some spicy chicken pieces and your nose turns into a runny, streaming mess. And now, YouTube channel ‘Brain Stuff- HowStuffWorks’ has revealed just what causes that annoyance.

In spicy food, the chemicals capsaicin and allyl isothocyanate are responsible for a food’s spiciness. They cause that hot burning sensation in your mouth not by affecting your tastebuds, but your pain receptors.

MORE: THIS IS WHY WE'RE SO TEMPTED BY FOODS WE SHOULDN'T EAT

This also irritates the mucus membranes in your mouth, nose, throat and sinuses (the linings that protect your lungs and various body cavities).

But how does it make your nose run? Well, once the spicy food inflames those membranes, your nose produces extra nasal mucus (snot) as a defence mechanism, attempting to protect itself from irritating chemicals and trying to prevent irritants from reaching the respiratory system.

So when people say ‘eat spicy food’ when you have a cold, or blocked nose, it can potentially make us feel a little bit better, and open up our airways. But remember, always eat those chillies wisely.

Eating a plate of curries, wasabi peas, or hot wings will inevitably turn your nose into a running stream. According to BrainStuff - HowStuffWorks' latest video, “Why Does Spicy Food Make Your Nose Run?” host Lauren Vogelbaum explains chemicals capsaicin and  allyl isothiocyanate irritate the mucous membranes of the nose, causing it to produce more mucus to keep allergens, airborne dust, and other undesirables away from the respiratory tract.

In spicy food, capsaicin and allyl isothuocyanate are responsible for a food's pungency — "spiciness," or heat. Capsaicin, the best-known spicy food irritant, is found in plants from the capsicum genus, like chili peppers, having the most concertation in the placental tissue that holds the seeds. Meanwhile, the other irritant, allyl isothiocyanate, is a colorless oil found in mustard and wasabi that gives these foods a kick. Manufacturers also use it as an ingredient in insecticides and fungicides.

The chemicals causing that “hot” sensation on your tongue act on your pain receptors, not your taste buds. They also tend to irritate the mucous membranes of your mouth, nose, throat, and sinuses — basically your face. The mucus membranes are the linings that protect your lungs and various body openings and cavities from infectious agents such as fungi, bacteria and viruses. The ones in your nose are responsible for making nasal mucus, or what kids call “snot.”

Now, once a spicy chemical inflames the membranes, they produce extra mucus as a defense mechanism. This is your body's way of trying to trap the irritating chemical, and prevent it from reaching the respiratory system.

A runny nose isn't always a bad thing though. When you've got a cold and are congested, the runny nose effect of spicy foods can make us feel a bit better. However, its healing properties are only temporary relief, because capsaicin and allyl isothiocyanate’s irritation can cause the dilator naris muscle in your nose to temporarily allow more air to enter. Receptors in your nose then tell your brain that you’re breathing easier. When the heat wears off, you will go back to your stuffy self.

Lovers of spicy foods seem to enjoy and even seek out the painful tingling and burning sensation that comes with biting into a dish flavored with hot sauces, spices, or peppers.

A runny nose, watery eyes, and a burn that no amount of water can help quench are all par for the course when it comes to spicy foods, and researchers now understand why our bodies react to spice in this way.

A recent Time Magazine feature delved into why spicy foods “burn so good,” and the health benefits that come from eating them.

As soon as your tongue and mouth sense heat from a spicy dish, your nose and throat will start producing mucus in an attempt to help wash away the invasive sensation producing component.

Even your stomach and the intestinal tract will generate more mucus, all in the hopes of “washing away” the problem, in this case, the spice.

“When your mouth or throat encounters any foreign object that’s noxious, the thinking is that liquid helps to move that out,” Dr. Brett Corner, an ear, nose, and throat specialist from the University of Kentucky, told Time.

In some cases, the increase in mucus and fluid will cause people to have diarrhea or stomach cramps.

You can’t discuss spicy foods without talking about capsaicin. Capsaicin is a plant compound, and the reason why eating spicy foods can be so painful. Capsaicin targets a specific pain receptor which can cause a burning sensation, reddening of the skin and a rise in body temperature.

Despite the initial pain inducing sensation, capsaicin can also work as a kind of anesthetic as the pain receptors become desensitized following capsaicin exposure.

Many studies have found that eating spicy foods with capsaicin is good for you. Researchers have linked capsaicin to improved heart health and a decreased risk of cancer and obesity.

One 2015 study found that capsaicin helps buffer against visceral fat build up which is a type of fat that accumulates in the gut.

There is indeed a great deal of evidence that shows that adding a little capsaicin to your diet could be beneficial. For some people though, the exhilarating experience of eating painful spicy foods is just a thrilling adrenaline rush.

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