I've got an undeniable affinity for all things spicy [1], and I put freshly ground black pepper on just about everything. But without fail, when I season a dish with salt and pepper, I resist the great urge to sneeze. Pepper makes me sneeze so much that merely looking at the picture has me thinking a sneeze is coming on! So why does pepper prompt such a strong physical reaction? As it turns out, the piquant flavor that we love so much in pepper is also the reason why the spice makes us sneeze. Pepper contains piperine, a fiery irritant that inflames the nerve endings that reside inside our noses. Sneezing is an innate reflex reaction to this chemical in pepper, as a way to rid your nasal passages of this compound. Got a burning question? Contact us [2]. Source [3]