Spicy food oftentimes isn’t for the faint of heart.
Some of the hottest peppers on the planet are packed with capsaicin, and that means an extra dose of heat. Sure, eating spicy food delivers a bit of a thrill, but sometimes the heat can be a bit overwhelming. That’s when you might want to think about curbing the burn, or even “neutralizing” it.
You’ve probably heard a glass of milk is a good thing to have on hand when you eat spicy food.
Dairy products like ice cream and sour cream can be used in a pinch. Other people find solutions in terms of acidic drinks or carbs. Some people swear by the effectiveness of chocolate milk, while others say it’s good to grab some lemons when the heat gets to be too much. On the other hand, there’s a lesser-known solution to “neutralizing” the heat of hot peppers and spicy foods without giving up the extra flavor of climbing your way up the Scoville Scale. For those who don’t like milk or can’t have it for health reasons, there’s the option to use peanut butter.
It won’t help those with peanut allergies, but peanut butter can be used to help coat your tongue when eating spicy food.
Remember, capsaicin dissolves in oil and fat, not water. That’s why a big cup of water won’t do anything to help quench the fire in your mouth. But as for peanut butter, you can just keep it in your pantry until the next time you need it. A previously opened jar of peanut butter can stay relatively fresh for months on end. Another good thing about peanut butter is that its full of good fats, it’s a good source of fiber, and it’s a good source of protein. So, don’t worry about giving up on spicy food, just be sure to have a little something on hand to help put out the fire.