Spices, the drugs of the past?

There was a time in Europe when every person consumed a hunderd times more spices than we do today. Many wars were fought and many dangerous journeys were made to bring home pepper, nutmeg and cloves. Many people wanted these spices so badly back in those days it can almost be called a collective addiction. But why were they so popular?

One of the possible and likely explanations is that certain spices contain substances that influence our mind. The most well-known  substances in nutmeg are myristicin and elemicin, both closely related to mescalin. Mescalin is found in the Mexican Peyote cactus and is known to cause hallucinations when consumed. The Aztecs already used mescalin for their religious rituals.

Nutmeg, hippies and Hildegard 

Of course the two substances previously mentioned aren't identical to mescalin. Scientists discovered, however, that the liver is capable of converting both myristicin and elemicin into stimulating amphetamines. When hippies, in the 1960s, were out of hash, they would often resort to the nutmeg nut. Two or three nuts were enough to cause hallucinations, but could also lead to serious poisoning. Long before hippies existed, there was a nun and visionary by the name of Hildegard von Bingen, who advised people to eat nutmeg nuts against a 'sore heart', since they bring 'joy to the mind'. Back in the days two pounds of nutmeg nuts cost the same price as a cow. The use, prices and profit margins of nutmeg in those days was rather similar to drug trafficking in our time.

Peppers provoke endorphines

Other substances, such as piperine and capsaicin, which are found in peppers, also influence the mind. I have always wondered why some people love spicy spices, such as peppers. The active ingredient of chilli peppers is capsaicin, which just like piperine, causes a burning feeling on the tongue that may lead to teary eyes. Why do people voluntarily consume anything with such an unpleasant sharp flavour? Well, what we experience as spicy, is in reality a form of pain. Due to this pain, caused by the spicy flavour, naturally occurring opiates are released in the body, the so-called endorphines. They give you a feeling of comfort and happiness. This partially explains why some people are addicted to spicy food and extreme sports.

The 'new' drugs: sugar, coffee and tabacco

Apparently people used to eat up to a hundred times as many spices as we do now. It is possible that new stimulants, such as sugar, coffee and tabacco, have partially replaced the old spices and dangerous hallucinogen thorn apple (moonflower or devil's weed) as stimulants. From the time these new stimulants were introduced, our  happiness hormone serotonin, which is naturally produced by the body, and our euphoric endorphines were more easily stimulated by the new and safer drugs: sugar, coffee and tabacco.

Sources: www.todio.nl