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Why Chilies Are Hot and Yogurt Puts Out the Fire

Posted by timothy on from the hence-the-kefir-in-the-spray-bottle dept.

bazzalunatic writes "The hottest chili in the world was made by Australians earlier this year, but how did they get the chilies so hot? Seems that worm juice is the key to revving up the capsaicin. And milk and yogurt are best to douse the heat, as they have fats that can absorb the capsaicin — which actually hijacks the neurons that detect heat."

12 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. Hm... by grub · · Score: 4, Funny


    So that means I should carry around yogurt to throw on my eyes during a date.

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  2. Something for the Atreides by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Fortunately for heat-seekers, it appears capsaicin does not cause permanent tissue damage, even in high doses.

    "It's what I call 'fake pain'," says Mark. "It doesn't actually cause you physical harm, even though it feels like it."

    Like that pain box in Dune.

    So, the next time when eating Thai with these peppers...

    I must not fear.
    Fear is the mind-killer.
    Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
    I will face my fear.
    I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
    And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
    Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
    Only I will remain.

    1. Re:Something for the Atreides by oldhack · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yeah, repeat that mantra again while sitting on the toilet.

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  3. The ring of fire after you've had chili... by LordNacho · · Score: 4, Funny

    always made me think people have a few taste buds in their anus. I mean how else can it feel hot right?

    Turns out it's just the irritant effect. My wife reminds me of this each time now.

    1. Re:The ring of fire after you've had chili... by ae1294 · · Score: 4, Funny

      always made me think people have a few taste buds in their anus. I mean how else can it feel hot right?

      Turns out it's just the irritant effect. My wife reminds me of this each time now.

      Wow, your wife is really all up your ass about that..

  4. Attention to the thief who is eating my pizza by joeflies · · Score: 3, Funny

    Attention to the thief eating my pizza from the company refrigerator, may this serve as your fair warning that you just might bite into a sample of the Australian Worm Juice the next time you steal a slice.

  5. Chili Sans Beans?! by walkerp1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    As a Texan native, let me point out that beans are only optional in the North.

    1. Re:Chili Sans Beans?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      You want color contrast? Use jelly beans.

  6. Re:most important conclusion by Pedersen · · Score: 4, Informative

    Sadly, "Pure Cap" is *not* pure capsaicin, and that stuff on the bottle is just marketing. The Scoville rating for Pure Cap is about 500,000 to 600,000 Scovilles, while straight capsaicin runs at 16,000,000 Scovilles.

    Go, read the ingredients for "Pure Cap" and note that it's mostly vegetable oil.

    I've had hotter than Pure Cap. You have to work up to it to be able to handle it, but it's very doable.

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  7. Re:most important conclusion by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I've had hotter than Pure Cap. You have to work up to it to be able to handle it, but it's very doable.

    I just don't see the point, to be honest.

    Years ago, a friendly pub owner offered to make several of us his "stupid hot" wings ... basically, fresh habaneros and lots of other stuff.

    It numbed my face, and the next day was ... unpleasant. Since then, my stomach literally can't handle anything excessively hot, and I no longer derive pleasure from it.

    I just don't want to play anymore -- I can get tasty with some heat long before the ridiculous threshold that playing around with some of those peppers are at.

    Though, a friend of my wife has been eating hot spicy foods for so long, that I'm fairly convinced that if food isn't crazy hot (and super salty), she can't even taste it any more. Because everything she cooks is very spicy. So she's either worn out the taste buds, or with age they're less sensitive. I don't want to be in my 50s and not taste anything less corrosive than battery acid. :-P

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  8. Re:They forgot alcohol. by pauljlucas · · Score: 3, Informative

    You need more than a couple of percent [of alcohol], though, so a beer isn't going to help you much. A glass of port or something stronger, like swishing a shot of whiskey or vodka around in your mouth, will whisk a lot of the capsaicin away.

    According to Alton Brown, you need pure ethyl alcohol.

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  9. Re:They forgot alcohol. by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Alton is good, but not perfect. That's actually nonsense. On the standard rough scale of solubility, capsaicin is considered "very" soluble in alcohol. Google it.