Sweating isn’t always a heat problem; sometimes it’s what you eat

There are various reasons why we sweat, from the weather to hormonal changes. It’s a natural bodily function that helps regulate our temperature.

But sometimes perspiration can be caused by what we eat and drink.

“Sweating after eating or drinking may look different for everyone, but it often occurs around the face, neck or forehead,” Yasi Ansari, a registered dietitian nutritionist, told HuffPost. “People sweat to help cool the body down. … It’s a way to help with temperature regulation.”

Here are four common foods and drinks that could be the cause for random moisture moments:

• Spicy foods like peppers and hot sauces contain capsaicin — a chili pepper extract — that sends heat sensors to the nervous system.
• Alcohol can cause your heart rate to increase, which makes blood vessels widen. The body will start to produce sweat to “compensate for the loss of water.”
• Caffeinated foods and drinks — from your normal cup of coffee to an energy drink — can cause sweating because it stimulates the central nervous system, which activates sweat glands, according to a 2011 study.
• “Meat sweats” are common when someone digests a lot of meat. According to Medical News Today, it could be a metabolic response to protein digestion.

Although it’s common to experience light perspiration on the back of the neck or face when enjoying hot foods or beverages, it’s not normal to perspire after a meal. According to Medical News Today, that could be a sign of diabetes mellitus, Frey’s syndrome or something else