It’s no secret that some people love spicy food, and for good reason.
After all, there are plenty of things to love about spicy food. In some parts of the world, the hotter the better. You’ll find people all over the world love eating fresh hot peppers, dried peppers, and hot sauce. In some Mexican markets, it’s not uncommon to find more than 100 different varieties of peppers for sale. Some are mild, some are hot, and some are earth shattering hot. The Scoville Scale ranks peppers based on their pungency against pure capsaicin. Several hot peppers rank above one million Scoville Heat Units, which to put it in perspective is extremely hot!
Of course, like anything, there are pros and cons to consuming hot peppers.
To start with, some peppers are so hot they can actually give people hallucinations. Most people, however, start to feel a burning sensation on the tongue first. You may also feel your forehead start sweating and even your eyes tearing up. Depending on your heat tolerance, that burning sensation could be perceived as a positive. Hot pepper lovers maintain the burn can sometimes turn into a pleasant experience. That’s because the heat triggers your nerves to tell your brain to start releasing endorphin, which is a natural painkiller. Some describe that release as an enjoyable experience.
There are other times you really want a hot pepper fix, but you also need something to put out the “fire”.
Water won’t do the trick. Instead, go for a glass of milk. If nothing else, dry bread can sometimes help. If you’ve ever handled peppers, you know you can sometimes burn your skin with peppers, too. To compensate, try wearing gloves. If you’ve already burned your skin, you can always try rubbing your hands with sugar or soapy water. You may still have to deal with the “con”, but the “pro” is you’re able to get your hot pepper fix.
