There are three types of tears: basal tears that lubricate the eye, emotional tears caused by strong emotions, and reflex tears caused by irritation. Reflex tears attempt to wash out irritants and can be triggered by spicy foods through a burning sensation in the mouth. Eating spicy foods causes the brain's fight-or-flight response and produces reflex tears as the eyes and nose attempt to flush out the irritant sensation from the mouth. However, frequent eaters of spicy foods can build up a resistance to this irritation.

1. Why does someone get teary-
eyed (or even cry) when eating
something spicy?

2. SPICY FOODS
• produce a burning sensation on the skin and
mucous membranes, including the inside of
the mouth.

3. THREE TYPES OF TEARS

4. BASAL TEARS
• the cornea is continually kept wet and
nourished by basal tears. They lubricate the
eye, and help to keep it clear of dust.

5. EMOTIONAL TEARS
• due to strong emotional stress, anger,
suffering, mourning, or physical pain. It also
occurs during the brains Fight-or-flight
response.

6. REFLEX TEARS
• results from irritation of the eye by foreign particles, or
from the presence of irritant substances such
as onion vapors, tear gas, or pepper spray in the eye's
environment, including the cornea, conjunctiva, or
nasal mucosa. It can also occur with bright
light and hot or peppery stimuli to the
tongue and mouth. It is also linked with
vomiting, coughing, and yawning..These reflex
tears attempt to wash out irritants that may have come
into contact with the eye.

7. It does not apply to all.
• People who eat hot foods all the time
apparently become conditioned to their oral
effects and do not find them painful.

8. CONCLUSION
• Spicy Foods produces a burning sensation to the
mouth, that makes it an irritant.
• Because of this, the senses will respond to that
painful sensation to wash out irritants.
• It will cause the eyes to produce tears and the
nose to run.
• A person who uses to eat spicy foods all the time
can resist to this kind of painful sensation to the
mouth. (or depends upon the person’s resistance)

9. SOURCES:
http://www.reachoutmichigan.org
http://healthfitnesscarearticles.blogspot.com
www.nytimes.com
Special Thanks to:
MR. JOHN ROBERT CAMBELISA