Capsaicin: When the "Chili" Is Too Hot (2024)

FAQs

What is the response of capsaicin? ›

Capsaicin, released as a fine spray when you bite into foods that contain it, triggers heat receptors in the skin, tricking the nervous system into thinking you're overheating. In response, your brain cranks up all of your body's cooling mechanisms. In short, you don't taste spicy food.

Cook or grill the peppers.

This study showed that capsaicin breaks down at around 400°F. Another study confirmed that heat, especially at higher temperatures paired with acidic conditions (lemon/lime juice, with tomatoes, etc.) reduced capsaicinoid concentrations.

Serve the Chile Dish With Cream, Cheese, or Lime Juice

Acidic ingredients also neutralize capsaicin's burn somewhat, so squeezing some fresh lime juice on a spicy food can help a bit.

The fat and oil in dairy products will dissolve the capsaicin and get rid of the burn. Opt for whole milk or full-fat sour cream or yogurt to do the trick. “It works just like soap dissolving grease particles when cleaning dishes,” Gulgas says. “Milk will dissolve and remove capsaicin from the reactive area.”

Our Best Bet: Milk or Sweets

For example, milk is commonly used to soothe the tongue from the burning sensation caused by capsaicinoids because of its fat content. Other possible palate cleansers include beer, chocolate, sour cream, and sugar water, or other foods and beverages that contain calcium.

Peanut, almond, or cashew butter are all rich in fat and can help dissolve capsaicin and mitigate some of the heat from chiles. If you're hesitant to add fat, you can also dilute the heat of a curry or stew by adding more water.

Most chillies lose their spiciness when cooked and mixed with other ingredients like dairy, acid, sugar, etc. But if that is still hot, chillies can be deseeded and soaked in water and vinegar to neutralise the capsaicin for a couple of hours before using it.

Capsaicin is a hydrophobic molecule, thanks to its hydrocarbon tail, so if you reach for a glass of ice-cold water, you're not going to wash any capsaicin away. In fact, you'll end up distributing it around your mouth, making the pain even worse.

Over caring for your peppers through excessive amounts of water and fertilizer will cause the peppers to be over sized and the capsicum in the membranes to become diluted, thus resulting is a milder tasting pepper.

What to eat or drink after eating a hot pepper? ›

Balancing it with an acid can help neutralize the capsaicin. This means that drinking or eating something acidic can give you some temporary relief from the burning sensations. Things such as lemonade or orange juice are great options. You can also try a tomato-based item.

A squeeze of lemon or lime juice or a little vinegar can help cut through spiciness. Acidic foods tone down the spiciness in foods and can add some flavor, making this a good trick for seafood dishes or creamy soups and chowders.

Vinegar works because it is acidic, and other acidic foods—like tomatoes, lemons, or limes—can help calm the fire from a chile pepper, particularly if the tomatoes are not themselves infused with chiles in a salsa or other spicy application.

Baking soda will neutralize the acid rather than mask it. Use 1/4 tsp for every serving in the pot, sprinkle it evenly around the top of the batch, and then stir it in well, once the bubbles have stopped it's ready for serving.

The chili tastes completely different without the brown sugar so if you like a subtle sweetness in your chili then you've just got to go for it! Trust me, it will not make your chili taste like candy. It's all about balance between spicy, smoky, and sweet.

Both honey and granulated sugar are effective in neutralizing a fiery mouth. Combining sugar with dairy can be very effective - think ice cream or flan. Lime juice, tomato juice or lemon juice can help relieve the burning sensation, which is why many recipes made with peppers incorporate an acidic component.