95
# The Neuroscience of Spice: Why Do We Enjoy a Burning Sensation?
The enduring popularity of spicy food, projected to become a $5 billion global market by 2030, isn’t about taste – it’s a engaging interplay between our nervous system and a primal survival mechanism. Capsaicin, the chemical compound responsible for the heat in chili peppers and other spicy foods, didn’t evolve to tantalize our taste buds, but to deter mammals from destroying plant seeds.
A Biological Defense Mechanism
Capsa
