Tag: Pungent compounds

Did you know that black pepper, ginger, and garlic owe their heat to completely different chemical compounds than the capsaicin found in chili peppers? While capsaicin dominates discussions of spiciness, a variety of other natural chemicals create unique sensations of heat, warmth, and pungency. This article explores what is spicy other than capsaicin, revealing the surprising science behind the burn from a range of familiar ingredients.

Many people mistakenly associate the tear-jerking, pungent sensation from onions with spicy compounds like capsaicin found in chili peppers. The truth is that onions do not contain capsaicin at all, as their characteristic flavor and irritant properties come from a different class of chemical compounds entirely. This distinction is key to understanding the unique chemistry of allium vegetables versus peppers.