There's a popular show on YouTube called Hot Ones, where celebrities answer questions while they eat chicken wings that get gradually spicier. The spicier the wings get, the more difficult it is to answer the questions! While it's fun to watch, some people might think: Why are they doing this? And why do people eat spicy food, even though it can be painful? We're not really supposed to like spicy food. It's not even a taste, like sweet or salty. Capsaicin, the chemical that makes things spicy, actually evolved as a way to stop animals from eating certain plants, like chili plants. But humans started eating them anyway — and enjoying them. Capsaicin activates a receptor in our bodies called TRPV1 ("trip-vee-one") — a receptor that's also activated by heat. Capsaicin can trick this receptor into sending burning signals to the brain, even when the food isn't actually at a high temperature. Some people have different versions of the TRPV1 gene that can make spicy food less painful to eat. And like with other things, the more spicy food we eat, the more used to it our bodies get. But researchers say some people might actually enjoy that painful feeling. It's similar to when people do something that can be dangerous, like going on a roller coaster or driving fast. At first, our brain thinks it's dangerous, but when it learns that it's safe, it enjoys that feeling. And although not everyone enjoys it, studies have found that eating spicy food often can be good for us. But if you eat too much of it and it feels like your mouth is on fire, don't try to make it better by drinking water! It doesn't help, because capsaicin doesn't mix with water. Instead, have milk or yogurt — or treat yourself to ice cream!