- Sarika Rana
- Updated: February 16, 2021 11:01 IST
How much do we hate experiencing a burning sensation
Spicy foods get their spiciness and hot intensity from capsaicin
Steer clear of beer and soda too-both beverages are mostly water
How much do we hate experiencing a burning sensation as we eat anything spicy? We generally turn to cold water in order relieve ourselves from the fiery feeling in our mouth. However, it may only worsen the case as it may spread the capsaicin - a compound found in chili - inside your mouth. Spicy foods get their spiciness and hot intensity from capsaicin, which can be neutralised with certain things. In order to stop the burning sensation quickly, do not drink water; instead follow something that will help.Dr. Kapil Agrawal, Sr. Consultant, Laproscopic & Bariatric Surgeon, Habilite & Apollo Spectra Hospital, "Most spicy food gets its kick from capsaicinoids, a family of molecules found in nearly all chili peppers. The chili burn stems from a chemical reaction that occurs when capsaicin bonds with the pain receptors on the inside of the mouth. Drinking water after biting down on a chili pepper will only spread the capsaicin around the inside of your mouth, where it will come in contact with more pain receptors and amp up the burning sensation. Steer clear of beer and soda too-both beverages are mostly water."(Also read: 6 Surprising Spicy Food Benefits: Turn Up The Heat)
- 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. Milk will dissolve and remove capsaicin from the reactive area.
- Capsaicin also dissolves in alcohol. Swigs of alcohol can also have the added benefit of blacking out all memory of the burn.
- Choose olive oil, or peanut butter. Both products are high in fat and oil that can help in removing the spiciness easily.
- Rice and bread won't dissolve capsaicin like fats, oils, and alcohol, but they will act like a crude mop to soak up the molecules and stop the scorching feeling.
- A spoonful of sugar should help or honey can help. The sugar in honey and the granules can absorb the spicy oil and will provide instant relief.
- A lime or lemon may help too. A slice of lemon or citrus fruit will help neutralise the capsaicin by binding with them, kind of similar to what dairy can do.
- You can also try filling your mouth with warm water and swish it around your mouth and spit to remove the spiciness from the tongue.
- Try creamy fruits and veggies like avocados and banana. The silky texture will help remove the capsaicin from the mouth easily.
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- Sarika Rana
- Updated: December 29, 2017 16:51 IST
We just love turning up the heat when we eat
It may mess up your system, especially your stomach
Spicy foods have several beneficial effects on our body
Indians have a tendency to gorge on masaledar khana that uses generous amounts of spices and, of course, lots of red chilli powder. We just love turning up the heat when we eat, but did you know eating spicy foods can do more than just amp up the flavours of your dish? While eating spicy food may have some serious health benefits, it may also mess up your system, especially your stomach. So, if you have been over-indulging in hot and spicy foods then you might want to think again. Here are some reasons to bring that to a halt now.
eating over spicy foods can worsen your stomach ulcersA lot has been said and written about the fact that spicy foods have several beneficial effects on our body. You would already know that it can do wonders for your waistline. But eating over spicy foods can worsen your stomach ulcers and gastritis. According to Dr Kapil Agrawal, Sr. Consultant, Laproscopic & Bariatric Surgeon, Habilite & Apollo Spectra Hospital, "While spicy foods do not cause ulcers or reflux but it can increase the severity of symptoms in patients already suffering from such conditions. Apart from that over spicy foods can cause diarrhea in few patients by irritating the gut. It also decreases the sensitivity of taste buds so if you plan on enjoying your favorite spicy dishes for years to come, less is more."
Eating spicy foods may have your gastrointestinal tract feel the heat most. It feels like your internal body is on fire, but the capsaicin compound found in chilli activates the release of substance P, a compound that transmits pain and burning sensations.Over-indulgence of spicy foods may cause the following stomach ailments that you should know of.1. Acid refluxSpices are a combination of acids and when too many of these acids are introduced to the stomach, which also has its own acidic contents, it starts damaging the walls of the stomach.Acid reflux2. Gastric ulcerEating over-spicy foods can aggravate ulcers in the sensitive mucosal lining or in the small intestine, called the duodenum, or sometimes even in the esophagus making it worse. These ulcers are excruciatingly painful, further causing stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and weight loss.3. Loss of appetiteConsuming moderate amounts of spicy food is okay; for instance you can eat 2-3 times a week, but definitely not daily. You can experience a worrying loss of appetite if you over eat spicy foods.4. Acute gastritisGastritis is caused due to inflammation of the gastric mucosa, the membrane that lines the stomach. Most people experience occasional bouts of gastritis that are often passed as indigestion. Acute gastritis may have symptoms like vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fever, headache along with blood in stool and vomit.Gastritis is caused due to inflammation of the gastric mucosa
Try and reduce the consumption of spicy foods as much as you can in order to avoid harming your stomach.Show full article
You’re just trying to make dinner — and suddenly it’s like your eyes are on fire. After cutting a hot pepper, you’ve accidentally touched your face, and now you’re feeling the burn. Ouch!
Whether you’re feeling that post-pepper prickle in your eyes, mouth or stomach, it’s all from the same ingredient: capsaicin, a chemical irritant found in all varieties of chili peppers. And if you’ve ever tried to quell that fiery feeling with water, you know, it’s not an easy flame to extinguish.
Family medicine specialist Mark Rood, MD, explains why it happens, how to soothe the scorch and what to try instead of H20.
Does milk help with spicy food?
First, a little lesson in heat levels. Chili peppers’ spiciness is measured using the Scoville scale, which ranks each one in Scoville Heat Units, or SHUs. The higher a pepper’s SHU, the more capsaicin it contains, and the spicier it tastes — and feels.
A 2019 study compared how seven beverages stacked up against spicy foods: skim milk, whole milk, seltzer water, cherry Kool-Aid®, non-alcoholic beer, soda, and water. It found that only skim milk, whole milk and cherry Kool-Aid had any notable impact against the heat.
“Rinsing your mouth with anything is better than nothing,” Dr. Rood says, “but only milk and Kool-aid outperformed plain water.”
Milk contains a protein called casein, which can break down capsaicin — much in the same way that dish soap can cut through grease.
Doctors had previously assumed that whole milk would be more effective against spicy foods than skim milk due to the former’s fat content, but they both performed the same. Dr. Rood says this indicates that fat content isn’t a factor in the fight against spice.
That means that post-pepper, any kind of animal milk should do the trick. But don’t bother with milk substitutes (almond milk, oat milk, etc.), which don’t contain casein.
Why doesn’t water work against spicy food?
Let’s go back to that dish soap analogy for a moment. If you’ve ever tried to wash a greasy skillet using just water, you probably realized pretty quickly that it doesn’t work. That’s because water can’t break up grease molecules; you need soap for that.
The same is true of spicy foods. Capsaicin doesn’t dissolve in water, so while rinsing your mouth or your eyes may provide some cooling relief, it won’t do much overall. Enter casein, which can do what water can’t.
Can sugar help fight spicy food?
Sweet, flavored drinks probably fight spicy foods because of their high sugar content, Dr. Rood says, explaining cherry Kool-Aid’s place in the data.
“There are reports that say that sucrose reduces the burn of spicy foods, although it’s not as robust of a solution as milk,” he explains.
If you don’t have milk or Kool-Aid on hand when you find yourself with that mouth-on-fire feeling, try sucking on a sugar cube, which may reduce your discomfort.
Is alcohol effective against spicy food?
The 2019 study only tested non-alcoholic beer, so no IPAs or hefeweizens got to test their chops against capsaicin.
As it turns out, though, alcohol can indeed break down capsaicin. But because most beers are primarily made of water, with only about 5% alcohol, they’re largely ineffective against pepper-induced pain.
Harder spirits could help in large quantities, but heavy drinking isn’t generally advisable. You’re better off sticking with milk.
Is it safe to put milk in your eyes?
It may sound a little gross to think about pouring dairy into your eyes, but hear us out. Just as milk can ease a burning mouth, so too can it soothe the pain of touching your eyes after prepping a pepper.
Have you ever heard of protesters splashing their eyes with milk after being pepper-sprayed? It’s the same idea, as capsaicin is the active ingredient in pepper spray.
“It’s not uncommon for medicals professionals to have milk available to render first aid to protesters impacted by tear gas and pepper spray,” Dr. Rood says. “Milk is safe for use in your eyes, and there is precedent for using it that way without harm.”
Upset stomach? Don’t turn to milk
Maybe your mouth is fine, and you kept your fingers out of your eyes. (Good job!) But spicy foods can just as easily cause a fire in the belly.
If you’re experiencing indigestion after eating something spicy — think acid reflux, a roiling stomach or even ulcers — milk isn’t the hero you need. “Milk can actually worsen those symptoms because it sometimes stimulates acid that then has to then be digested, which starts a cycle,” Dr. Rood warns.
Plus, for the estimated 36% of Americans who are lactose intolerant, consuming milk and other dairy products can lead to more cramps, gas, bloating and diarrhea.
If that Nashville hot chicken or Thai green curry has left you with a troubled tummy, your best bet is to pop a calcium carbonate antacid (like Tums® and Rolaids®), which will neutralize your stomach acid and help stop the burn.
Prevent spicy food troubles
The best way to avoid the problems associated with spicy foods is to, well, avoid spicy foods altogether. But if you enjoy the taste — and maybe get a kick out of the burn — just take precautions:
- Wear gloves when cutting peppers, and avoid touching your skin, especially around the eyes.
- After handling peppers, remove your gloves and thoroughly wash your hands using soap.
- Wear googles if you’re cutting peppers with an extremely high SHU, such as Carolina Reapers or bhut jolokia (ghost peppers).
And of course, keep some milk on hand!
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