Many people like to eat spicy food. Not all chilies are of equal heat, not even the same color and species of chili raised in a given state. The heat is partially determined by the soil in which the chili plant is grown. Smaller peppers are generally hotter than larger varieties. Capsaicin is the molecule responsible for the heat in chili and foods flavored with them. Other spices, such as mustard and horseradish, also contain capsaicin. Capsaicin may have some health benefits, including pain relief to the skin.
Spicy heat as well as thermal heat is registered through receptors on the tongue nerve cells. The receptor transmits the hot signal to the brain. The gastrointestinal tract may feel the heat of a spicy dish, but while they may feel like they are burning, your mouth and stomach actually are not. Water will not quench the heat as milk will, because pepper oils contain the spicy components and do not dissolve well in water. A regular diet of spicy food keeps the burn away by inhibiting transmission of pain signals.
Wear gloves when cutting chilies or wash your hands with warm soap and water to wash the oil off of your hands. You may experience swelling and pain in and around your eyes if you touch your eyes after handling hot peppers
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