The hottest peppers in the world have names that reflect their nasty taste; Dragon’s Breath, Trinidad Scorpion, Armageddon and Komodo Dragon. One of the hottest of these is “Bhut Jolokia,” which grows in parts of India and is used to make chili grenades: a non-lethal weapon developed by Indian military scientists, similar to tear gas.
Does Chilli Can Be That Spicy?
The substance that makes food spicy is called capsaicin. Capsaicin levels can be measured using the Scoville scale. The higher the score, the hotter the taste. For example, the humble sweet pepper, the common red pepper, and the new variety of pepper “California Reaper” that surpasses “Bhut Jolokia” have Scoville scores of 0, 500, and 2.2 million, respectively!
Since Malaysians love all things spicy, let’s learn more about how capsaicin affects our health.
What Does Spiciness Do To The Body?
“First, eating spicy food makes the brain think we’re ‘overheated.’ This can irritate the lining of our nasal passages, leading to a runny nose and sweating. If you already have IBS, spicy foods can also trigger indigestion and make IBS worse. While it may not cause ulcers, it can cause heartburn because spicy foods cause the lower esophagus to relax. When the lower esophagus relaxes, acid can easily rise from the stomach and cause gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). “
How Dangerous Is It To Eat Too Much Spicy Food?
“Spicy food is usually not dangerous, but some people are sensitive to spicy food. After eating spicy food, you may experience stomach pain and indigestion. Occasionally, if they have an anal fissure or inflammatory bowel disease, their symptoms may worsen.
“Capsaicin in its purest form is poisonous. Some data suggests that eating spicy food can be fatal if you are allergic or sensitive to capsaicin, or if you ingest more than 12 grams of pure capsaicin. Most people cannot absorb even four of that amount.” But if you consume too much capsaicin, you run the risk of “burning diarrhea.” There are no indicators to track the damage of capsaicin. So you have to take responsibility for how you eat spicy food.”
Should Children Or The Elderly Avoid Spicy Food?
“Children and the elderly are no longer prone to health problems from spicy food. The elderly can continue to eat spicy food until it becomes intolerable or disruptive. It all depends on how the stomach tolerates spicy food intake. Track bowel habits to get idea.”
What Spicy Foods Should People With Sensitive Stomachs Avoid?
“Any spicy food that irritates an individual. This is determined by trial and error because everyone has a different threshold.”
Are Spicy Foods Healthy?
“Eating spicy foods can help you lose weight and create a feeling of fullness, which leads to less food intake. Also, a 2015 longevity study by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that people who ate spicy foods six to seven times a week tended to live longer !”
Why Do Some People Seem To Tolerate Heat Better Than Others?
“In humans, capsaicin stimulates certain receptors that recognize heat and temperature. Some people tolerate very spicy foods better than others because they may have fewer receptors on their tongues.”
Are We Addicted To Spicy Food?
“Yes. That’s why you sometimes see people complain that their food is too spicy, but they keep eating it, even a second time! When eating spicy food, capsaicin tricks the brain into letting it Think of it as “burnt”. This is how the brain releases endorphins. This is a natural pain reliever similar to morphine. This means that people who eat foods high in capsaicin are eating spicy food You can actually get a little “excited” at times.
What Can We Do To Stop Burning Tongue From Spicy Food?
“The most common drink is milk or yogurt. Dairy products contain a special protein called casein that helps break down capsaicin and relieve the burning sensation on the tongue. Some people consume a teaspoon of sugar. Bread and rice also absorb the peppers Vegetarian, maybe that’s why curry tastes better with bread and rice! In fact, if you leave it alone, it goes away, but only after a while.”
