any help would be appreciated seeing as I really don't have the attention span tonight to do this all myself along with my other homework.
Hot peppers are used in various cuisines of the America's. What causes the food to taste hot?
What effects do they have on the body?
Are they safe? Are there risks/benefits to eating hot foods?
Well, I don't know for sure, so don't use this without verifying it before, but I've heard that the "hot" feeling you get when eating pepper is due to the fact that when it touches your tongue, your brain analyses it the same way it would if you ate something very hot. It has to do with neurons and associative parts of your brain.
For the risks/benefits, if you eat a lot, at some point it can "burn" your taste buds, meaning you'll taste less (therefore will need spicier food to feel the same burn). However, I've heard that spices can reduce microbial counts on food - reason why poorer countries would have learnt through years to spice food a lot so they don't get sick.
Again, verify this, but I hope they'll give you some lines of approach for your homework ! (And I hope I'm not too late haha.)
-Capsaicin is the active compound in peppers that make them "hot".
-What @(you need an account to see links) said. Capsaicin binds to specific receptors on neurons which trigger sensations to your brain similar to a "burning". It is also a natural anti-microbial (and pest deterrent).
-In small/moderate doses, yes. There are benefits, I just forgot them and am too lazy to read up on them.
Too much though, and your taste buds could be overstimulated to stop working (temporarily). It will also raise cortisol (stress hormone) levels in your body, intestinal inflammation, excessive sweating (lol), among other things. It can *eat away* at the mucous membranes of your digestive system, cause acne, etc. Lots of negative effects - but only if you eat an absurd amount of extremely potent peppers. The types most restaurants never carry that you'd eat for novelty though, so unless you have a fetish for this stuff, you'll be good.