Why does the body release endorphins when eating chilies?

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Did you know that the taste you associate with eating chilies is not a taste? It is in fact a sensation. There are no taste buds for tasting chilies!

I have been reading about chilies and endorphins, and came across this article which may be too much detail for some people, but I like detail and I like science, and well...
https://helix.northwestern.edu/blog/2014/07/your-brain-capsaicin

Little extracts like this help to explain why chilies cause the body to release endorphins...

Capsaicinoids trick the brain into thinking it is being burned, which is a painful experience, through the transmission of neurotransmitters. Remember, earlier when I said your neurons play telephone. Well, when your body senses pain somewhere like the tongue that message has to make it to the brain. The message is sent from the location it is initially generated to the brain through a network of neurons by talking to each other via neurotransmitters, which are essentially chemical messages. One such message produced by capsaicinoids is substance P, which transmits pain signals. The brain responds by releasing another type of neurotransmitter known as endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s natural way of relieving pain by blocking the nerve’s ability to transmit pain signals

There is even a Chili Institute http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/

This makes for a very interesting read as well http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/whats-so-hot-about-chili-peppers-116907465/?no-ist=

 

[Morning Glory]

As some here will know, I'm a complete chilli head. I try to eat them every day in one form or another. I did know about the endorphins but not why, so this is quite fascinating. It gives me an excuse to eat even more chills! Hmm, is it too early to nibble on that Scotch Bonnet in the fridge...

 

[welsh dragon]

Maybe its a form of self preservation in a way. IE chilli releases substance to make brain believe its in pain. Brain release endorfin to enable or give is the ability to eat said chilli?

There are lots of different kinds of endorphins, like the one that gives humans so much pleasure when eating chocolate. In other words, the brainmis a wonderful thing. Not sure how true or false ahy of this info is mind you.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I had a good read of those articles (supported by scientific studies) and the consumption of chilies activates the pain - too hot sensation on the tongue (mint activates cold btw) and it is the burning pain too hot endorphins that get released (hope that makes sense). There are even local anaesthetics now that involve the use of capsaicinoids to operate on patients without the use of normal anaesthetics which is fantastic news for those who can not have general or some local anaesthetics.

 

[classic33]

As some here will know, I'm a complete chilli head. I try to eat them every day in one form or another. I did know about the endorphins but not why, so this is quite fascinating. It gives me an excuse to eat even more chills! Hmm, is it too early to nibble on that Scotch Bonnet in the fridge...

Mind over matter and you can throw away The Scoville scale.

 

[Morning Glory]

Mind over matter and you can throw away The Scoville scale.

In my case, yes!