• Question: Why is pepper supposed to make you sneeze?

    Asked by lisaloo to Claire, Kate, Matt, Rob, Sam on 24 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Sam Geen

      Sam Geen answered on 24 Jun 2013:

      Pepper is a spice that makes food taste hotter, and it also irritates you if it touches your eyes, etc (if you’ve ever accidentally rubbed your eyes after eating chilli, you know what I mean). When you breathe it in through your nose, it irritates your nose, which tries to get rid of the thing irritating it by sneezing it out.

    • Photo: Matthew Pankhurst

      Matthew Pankhurst answered on 25 Jun 2013:

      Ground pepper is made of small bits of stuff that causes a chemical reaction with the saliva in our mouths (and snot in our noses!) and causes a response. This is how we can taste it. But, because it is a strong taste, those same reaction happening in our noses is a sign that something isn’t right, and our bodies react by sneezing to get rid of it. It’s the same reason pollen or dust makes some people sneeze, it irritates. The thing about pepper is – it’s really irritating!

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