Heat is Pleasure and Pain

Chilli and Black Pepper form a small and integral part of the flavour profile of our Sticky Chai Blend. Yes there’s chilli in it. And black pepper. Don’t freak out.

The molecule that gives chilli it’s kick is called capsaicin. Capsaicin binds to a receptor on cells that detects temperature and cells that send messages of pain. The same receptor is activated by piperine, a compound that’s found in black pepper.

It feels hot when you eat chilli or pepper because the receptors they trigger are usually switched on at temperatures higher than 42 degrees Celsius, presumably to warn us that whatever we've put in our mouths is going to cause you pain.

However, the ‘heat’ is actually a kind of painkiller. It reduces pain by inducing the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers.

So essentially our Sticky Chai Blend is the gateway between pleasure and pain. And that’s just how we like it here at The Chai Villain.