Science has explained the somewhat masochistic appeal of popular Sriracha hot sauce.
Called the sauce that goes on virtually anything, Sriracha is made with fresh red chilis that trigger a burn and then pain-relieving endorphins to ease that burn, USA TODAY reported.
Sriracha comes from Huy Fong Foods, which names the spicy condiment the company's most popular hot sauce.
"It is excellent in soups, sauces, pastas, pizzas, hot dogs, hamburgers, chow mein or on anything else to give it a delicious, spicy taste," the Huy Fong Foods website described.
In a video uploaded to YouTube, the American Chemical Society explained why the special ingredient in "rooster sauce" has this effect.
The red chilis, which are the key ingredient along with garlic, vinegar, sugar and salt, have molecules called capsaicinoids that trigger a particular protein in your mouth.
According to the ACS video, the TRPV1 protein in your mouth reacts to temperatures higher than 109 degrees Fahrenheit or spicy foods.
The body responds to the heat by releasing feel-good endorphins to combat the pain when your brain believes you're eating something of high temperature. A similar effect occurs when you chew minty gum or eat a cough drop with menthol, which "trick" your brain into believing you're eating something cold, according to NPR.
Lower on the spice scale, perhaps Sriracha hits the right note of being hot but not too hot.
"The Scoville scale is a measure of spicy foods, using Scoville heat units," USA TODAY reported. "According to the ACS video, Sriracha comes in at 1,000-2,500 SHU. In comparison, Tabasco sauce is 2,500-5,000 SHU, while a habanero pepper is 350,000 SHU."
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