why does wasabi give the effect it gives when you eat too much at once?

Question

i'm eating sushi right now, just wondered why it gives that nose burning effect. :)
and why is it that it doesn't burn as long as chili in the mouth?

Answer 1

It contains vapors that go up the back of your throat & effect your nasal passages instead of peppers that produce heat on your tongue.
Mmmm, sushi.

Answer 2

Because wasabi isn't a chili... They're fundamentally different, I don't know the chemistry as to why it gives a burning sensation. However, I do know that wasabi is a cousin to horseradish which has the same effect.

Answer 3

According to the latest research, eating wasabi and other spicy foods offers brief relief, causing your nose to run, itchiness to disappear and your sinuses to drain. But in reality, your nasal congestion will worsen, making you even more miserable. Here’s why: Allylisothiocyanate—the pungent ingredient found in wasabi, horseradish and mustard—causes a transient burning sensation in the nose, and the dilator naris muscle temporarily allows more air to enter. Receptors within the nose then tell your brain that you’re breathing easier.

Answer 4

for the same reason that the chili pepper burns your tongue if you begin chewing on it. most plants have some defense mechanism against predation. There's most likely a chemical in the wasabi cabbage that wards off certain insects or plant eaters (such as people). it's too bad we eat certain plants just for that stinging effect.

Answer 5

The burn is caused by isothiocyanates vs. the capsaicin in chiles-it is water soluble and evaporates-capsaicin is fat soluble and does not.