Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Our Blog on July 1, 2026
Why are spicy foods so popular? The rising trend of everything being loaded with the ultimate levels of spice doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, so today we take a look at why they are popular and the dangers of spicy foods.
Many people head to TikTok to watch people consume some serious amounts of heat after being gifted live experience goals. I have seen some of them myself and they are so shocking at times. Levels of heat to the point that some of the contestants so to speak actually vomit off screen. (Thankfully)
Some people compare the heat to a running race where their adrenaline is high and they feel like they are winning a race.
Whether the spice they seek is fiery or acidic and sour, humans can be drawn to the perceived danger of extreme foods. Like watching a horror movie, the experience stimulates a fight-or-flight response during which the brain releases endorphins and dopamine, hormones that make people feel good. After the brain determines everything is safe, there’s a sense of accomplishment in overcoming a dangerous situation.
“These challenges are really drawing people in who have that psychological affinity — sensation-seeking, reward-seeking types of behaviors. So the more dangerous it is, the more thrilling it is,” said Elisa Trucco, director of the Research on Adolescent and Child Health Lab at Florida International University.
Both sour and spicy foods generate painful responses, though they activate different nerves in the body. When saliva breaks down spicy food, capsaicin travels to the throat, nose and esophagus and activates nerves involved in the sense of touch, said Robert Pellegrino, a postdoctoral fellow at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. The ensuing pain is similar to touching a hot stove.
“You can feel spice everywhere,” Pellegrino said.
On the other hand, sourness activates taste nerves. When people eat sour foods, the body initiates a pain reaction because it detects an acidic substance that could be harmful if ingested.
In both cases, the brain can override the initial pain reaction. Paul Rozin, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, attributes this override to humans’ ability to differentiate between serious and “benign” pain. Eating moderate amounts of spice is generally safe, he said, but even so, the body treats it as a health threat.
While all these feel-good hormones may satisfy some individuals’ cravings, extreme food challenges have faced backlash amid several deadly incidents. Last year, a teen died in Massachusetts after attempting to eat a tortilla chip packed with chili pepper extract for a social media challenge. Extremely sour foods can also have harmful consequences: In April 2024, a 10-year-old girl in the U.K. suffered burns in her throat after ingesting super sour candy she saw in a TikTok video.
Dr. Edwin McDonald, a gastroenterologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center, emphasized that while spicy and sour foods are safe in moderation, extreme spice could mean a hospital trip.
Extreme eating challenges can be dangerous for those with underlying medical conditions such as high blood pressure and asthma, said Dr. Chantel Strachan, an internal medicine physician and assistant professor at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Because of the uncertainty, Strachan advised thinking twice before participating, and consulting a doctor ahead of time.
“Unfortunately, we usually find out after a first attempt how you react to these substances,” she said.
Children and teens tend to be most susceptible to social media challenges, which is why Trucco said parents should pay attention, too.
“Consuming some foods that have capsaicin in it may be associated with increasing longevity and decreasing the risk of cancer,” McDonald said. “But these are not the peppers that people are doing in the challenge.”
With that being said the spice wars so to speak continue to rise, fast food restaurants are almost in competition with each other to see who can have the hottest varieties of chicken, honey and other things that many people are not used to being super spicy. I like to stay a little more on the mild side of life and while sometimes a bit of hot honey goes onto my chicken, I don’t overdo when it comes to the heat.
For more information on the latest food trends online please keep an eye on Make Food Safe.