What makes your mouth seem on fire after eating a hot pepper?

The spiciness of peppers is caused by a substance called capsaicin, which is also found in wasabi and ginger. Capsaicin stimulates the pain receptors in your mouth and sends signals to your brain, causing you to experience food as "hot" or "spicy. The more capsaicin a pepper contains, the spicier it is. The spiciness of a pepper is measured on the Scoville scale, which determines the concentration of capsaicin and related substances.

What can you do to ease the heat?

1. Milk

The fat in dairy products helps dissolve the capsaicin and prevents it from reaching the pain receptors in your mouth. Choose whole milk, buttermilk or a fresh yogurt to reduce that burning sensation. Dairy is one of the most effective means of relieving pain.

2. Sugar

A sugar cube or a spoonful of honey can quickly remove the hot feeling from your mouth. The original Scoville scale was based on the amount of sugar water needed to dilute the heat of a pepper. So sugar is a simple but effective solution!

3. Vodka

Capsaicin also dissolves in alcohol, but only if the alcohol content is relatively high. Vodka, for example, seems to work well to reduce that burning sensation in your mouth. Although it may also be because it makes you feel a little lighter in the head.

4. Peanut butter

Capsaicin also dissolves in oil, such as olive oil. Now it may not be so appealing to take a sip of olive oil, but peanut butter is an excellent alternative. The oil in peanut butter helps neutralize the capsaicin and relieves the burning sensation.

5. Bread

Although the starch in bread or rice does not dissolve the capsaicin, it does provide a soothing effect. The starch absorbs some of the heat and offers a pleasant feeling of fullness in your mouth, reducing the burning sensation.

But what about water or beer?

You may be tempted to quickly drink a glass of water when your mouth is on fire, but this is absolutely not a good idea! Water actually disperses the capsaicin through your mouth, making the pain worse. Beer doesn't help much either, because it consists mainly of water and the alcohol content is too low to dissolve capsaicin. So it's better to try one of the options above!