There are several different versions of the
capsaicin molecule found in chillis. This may
be why different kinds of chillis seem to
produce different kinds of pungency — quick
and transient, slow and persistent — and to
affect different parts of the mouth.
Capsaicin’s Effects on the Body The effects
of capsaicin on the human body are many and
complex. As I write in 2004, the scorecard is
fairly positive. Capsaicin does not appear to
increase the risk of cancer or stomach ulcers.
It affects the body’s temperature regulation,
making us feel hotter than we actually are,
and inducing cooling mechanisms (sweating,
increased blood flow in the skin). It increases
the body’s metabolic rate, so that we burn
more energy (and therefore retain less in
storage as fat). It may trigger brain signals
that make us feel less hungry and more
satiated. In sum, it may encourage us to eat
less of the meal it’s in, and to burn more of