Experience the photo of mint, and you’ll sense a refreshing coolness in your mouth. Behind this fascinating minty sensation lies the plant’s biochemistry evolution over thousands of years. Scientists propose that mint developed this cooling mechanism as a defense strategy against predators.
Mint, much like hot peppers, possesses a unique ability to alter the temperature sensation in our mouths. The evolutionary secret lies in specific molecules – capsaicin in peppers and menthol in mint. These substances serve as defensive measures. Paul Weiss from the Monelli Center for Chemical Sensing (USA) explains, “A plant that produced these substances would be less likely to be eaten.” Plants needed to survive long enough to produce seeds and pass on their genetic code to future generations.
But how does menthol create the cooling effect in our mouths? Essentially, this substance tricks our body into perceiving cold when it’s not present. Both menthol and capsaicin interact with receptors in our body responsible for sensing touch, temperature, and pain – biologically termed sensory receptors. Neurons, special nerve cells, transmit signals from these receptors to the brain. Neuron cells contain proteins responsive to environmental changes, with specific channels regulating signal transmission. Receptors like TRPM8, sensitive to cold, can be activated by the menthol molecule, sending a signal to the brain that interprets it as cold.
Pepper employs a similar brain-tricking mechanism. While humans incorporate these plants into everyday cooking and medicine, the fact that plants can influence our brains through natural selection remains a captivating revelation.
