Book 2, Question 55
Why Does Mint Feel Cold?
Why does mint feel cold when nothing got cooler? Mint turns on the cold sensors in your mouth, so your brain thinks it is chilly. It is a playful mix-up between chemistry and feeling. Mint gum and toothpaste use this trick, too!
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 2
More fun facts
- Mint plants contain a chemical called menthol.
- Menthol does not actually lower your temperature. It only tricks your brain.
- Your nerve cells have a protein called TRPM8 that sends a cold signal to your brain when something is chilly.
- Menthol switches on TRPM8 too, so your brain gets a cold message even though nothing got colder.
- TRPM8 was first discovered as a protein that reacts to menthol. Only later did scientists learn it senses cold.
- Other natural cooling chemicals, like eucalyptol from eucalyptus, work in a similar way.
- After a mint, a sip of cool water can feel extra cold.
Sources: scienceworld.scholastic.com, theconversation.com, theconversation.com
Questions kids ask
Does mint really make my mouth colder?
No. Menthol does not change the temperature. It just switches on the nerves that sense cold.