I was recently told that hot peppers literally have a higher temperature than their environment. I am a skeptic by nature.
Is it true that fields that grow extremely hot (Spicy) peppers have a higher temperature directly above them than say a field of corn?
How about an individual pepper? I’ve never been burned by one.
respectfully,
JT
duffer
March 23, 2004, 8:44am
2
Throw it in a freezer set to 30 degrees F. See if it freezes. Answer given.
They’re hot because they are acidic, buddy. Temperature has nothing to do with it.
Plants have very little means to regulate their temperature. If you try to grow a plant outside of its normal environmental temperature range it won’t do well and may die.
No, acidity does not produce the “hot” favor. Peppers contain capsaicin, an alkaloid that triggers pain receptors in the mouth:
What Makes Peppers Hot
Capsaicin is an extremely powerful and stable alkaloid produced as a crystal by glands at the junction of the pepper’s placenta and pod walls, according to Dave DeWitt, known as the “Pope of Pepper” and publisher of Fiery Foods & BBQ magazine. The chemical is found only in chili peppers.
DeWitt says capsaicin puts the sting in pepper spray, is used in repellent sprays to protect gardens from animal pests, and chemists are now developing an environmentally safe marine coating made with capsaicin that will stop barnacles from growing. The chemical also stimulates circulation, triggers pain receptor cells to release helpful endorphins, and is used in various drugs to ease the pain of arthritis and other ailments, C&EN reports.
For what it’s worth, once I chewed cinnamon gum shortly before my appointment to give blood and it made my temp too high. I had to sit and wait for 10-15 minutes until my mouth got back to normal temperature.
Padeye
March 23, 2004, 6:53pm
7
That was your body’s reaction, dilating capillaries in your mouth and tongue transmitting more internal heat. If you had used a rectal, armpit or eardrum temp you may not have seen that.
Squink
March 23, 2004, 7:13pm
8
However some of them do produce heat:
The most dramatic examples of plant thermogenesis occur in certain types of flowers, particularly, but not exclusively, in the Araceae. Although most studies of plant thermogenesis have examined Araceae, it must be borne in mind that thermogenesis has been measured in the flowers of members of eight other angiosperm families as well as in the cones of various species of cycads There is some evidence that thermogenesis, albeit at rates much less than those observed in thermogenic flowers and cones, may be a property of most plants. It should also be noted that some plants, including Philodendron selloum, eastern skunk cabbage , the sacred lotus and Rhizanthes lowii can thermoregulate: They can alter their thermogenic properties to maintain a surprisingly constant temperature even under fluctuating environmental temperatures.
Plant Physiology Online
The article mentions quite a few plant species, but not peppers or solanaceae.
Really Not All That Bright:
They’re hot because they are acidic, buddy. Temperature has nothing to do with it.
Plus chili’s aren’t acidic; they’re alkaline .
Of course this always begs the question, why do chilis cause heartburn in some people?
Balthisar:
Plus chili’s aren’t acidic; they’re alkaline .
Of course this always begs the question, why do chilis cause heartburn in some people?
I’m not sure, but I note that a lot of greasy/oily foods are said to cause heartburn. The cap’s an oil in the chilies.
And it doesn’t “beg” the question, it raises it. To beg the question is to make an argument by assuming the conclusion is true beforehand.
Yeah, but it’s a lost battle, buddy. Popular usage has hijacked the phrase, and it’s not synonymous with “to raise a question.” Valiant effort, but all for nought, I’m afraid.
Should read “it is now synonymous with…”
