What makes your mouth feel like it's on fire after eating a hot pepper?

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

What can you do to soothe the heat?

1. Milk

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

2. Sugar

A sugar cube or a spoonful of honey can quickly get rid of that burning sensation in your mouth. The original Scoville scale was actually based on how much sugar water was needed to dilute a pepper's heat. So, sugar is a simple, yet super effective solution!

3. Vodka

Capsaicin also dissolves in alcohol, but only if the alcohol content is pretty high. Vodka, for instance, seems to work well for calming that fiery feeling in your mouth. Though, it might also be because it makes you feel a bit light-headed!

4. Peanut Butter

Capsaicin also dissolves in oil, like olive oil. Now, taking a swig of olive oil might not sound too appealing, but peanut butter is a fantastic alternative! The oil in peanut butter helps neutralize the capsaicin and eases that burning sensation.

5. Bread

While the starch in bread or rice doesn't actually dissolve capsaicin, it does have a soothing effect. The starch soaks up some of the heat and gives your mouth a nice full feeling, which helps reduce that burning sensation.

But what about water or beer?

You might be tempted to quickly grab a glass of water when your mouth is on fire, but that's definitely not a good idea! Water actually spreads the capsaicin around your mouth, making the pain even worse. Beer doesn't help much either, as it's mostly water and the alcohol content is too low to dissolve capsaicin. So, it's best to try one of the options above!