Have you ever wondered why cultures in the hottest locations on earth eat hot and spicy foods? Why is it that people in Central and South America, India, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean eat foods flavored with hot chile peppers and spices that make you sweat? There is a reason, and it's actually pretty smart when you think about it -- spicy foods make you sweat, which in turn helps you cool down faster. It's as simple as that!

Though you may be inclined to cool down with a tall glass of iced tea, ice cream or watermelon on a sweltering summer's day, the effect isn't lasting. After a while you're back to where you started -- hot and bothered. That's because your internal temperature is cooled too rapidly, and your body ends up compensating by raising your temperature. As a result, you feel hotter.

Eating spicy foods works differently -- it raises your internal temperature to match the temperature outside. Your blood circulation increases, you start sweating and once your moisture has evaporated, you've cooled off. Scientists call the phenomenon "gustatory facial sweating," because indeed you usually start sweating in the face first.