Book 9, Question 84
Why Are Chili Peppers Spicy for Mammals But Not Birds?
Chili peppers burn our mouths but not birds' beaks! The spicy chemical is called capsaicin, and mammals feel it as heat and pain. Birds barely notice it, so they can eat the peppers and spread the seeds.
More fun facts
- People, mice and other mammals feel a burn when they eat hot peppers.
- Capsaicin does not stop birds from eating chili fruits.
- Like other fruits, chilies attract birds and other animals that eat them and spread their seeds.
- Capsaicin also fights off microbes, which is one reason people have used chilies to help preserve food.
- Capsaicin affects taste buds, nerve cells and the inside of your nose.
Sources: Science News Explores, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Why would a plant want birds to eat its fruit?
Birds carry the seeds away and drop them in new places where new plants can grow.