So Hot Right Now: Why We Love the Chile Pepper

Gastropod

Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

Science, Arts, History, Food

4.7 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 27 April 2021

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Perhaps no other plant is as entwined with pain and pleasure as the chile pepper. But why does it burn—and why on earth do we crave that uncomfortable sensation? How did capsaicin's fungus-fighting, digestion-enhancing, and adrenaline-triggering powers convince early hunter gatherers in South America to fall in love with the chile's tiny berry ancestors, and then European colonists to spread chiles around the world? Plus, new insights into the rise of the “superhots,” chilehead competitions, and a murder-by-Carolina-Reaper attempt right here on team Gastropod. Who survived to tell the tale? Listen in to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Get Disney Plus in Hulu in a brand new bundle.
0:03.6	Better together for only $9.99 a month.
0:06.2	Offer valid for eligible subscribers only, terms apply.
0:08.9	Visit DisneyBundle.com for details.
0:36.9	Share a channel for dot com slash verify.
0:39.9	It's incredible.
0:42.9	This is you on Carolina Reaper Pepper.
0:46.9	It just keeps it keeps giving and giving.
0:52.9	I'm just like, oh no.
0:55.9	Anyway, I would just like, can you imagine if I run my eyes?
0:59.9	Happy and they merge the room.
1:01.9	Anyway, kids, don't try Carolina Reaper at home.
1:08.9	Do not, do not even open the jar.
1:11.9	Do not even have a friendship with the jar.
1:16.9	I promise I was not trying to unleash a chemical bomb on Nikki and her husband Jeff.
1:21.9	The lid to the jar of Carolina Reaper chili powder apparently came off in the mail.
1:25.9	She was coughing throughout our entire next recording session.
1:28.9	I'm this close to reporting you to HR Cynthia except that we don't actually have a jar at our two woman show.
1:35.9	But really, how ever mad I sometimes make you, that was not acceptable behavior in the workplace.
1:41.9	I do still feel bad about it.
1:43.9	I mean, the guy who sold me all the chilies we bought for this episode, including the Carolina Reaper.
1:47.9	He told me we have to be so very careful with it.
	...

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