Too hot pepper: eliminating the consequences. If your mouth burns from hot peppers Milk did not help if your mouth burns from peppers

Severe sweating, runny nose and burning throat. It looks like symptoms of a disease, but this is a typical reaction to eating hot peppers.

Every day, every fourth person eats hot peppers. Why is a product that causes burning and discomfort so popular? If you learn more about its beneficial properties, then this is not surprising.

Chile comes from the warm regions of America. Chili has been known there since 7000 BC. To this day, they remain a popular component of Mexican and South American cuisine.

Columbus was the first to name the pepper chili. Did he mistakenly think it was chili? a relative of black pepper, the hottest plant in the Old World.

Black pepper belongs to the pepper family, but what about chilies? to the nightshade family, like tomatoes and potatoes. Chili immediately became popular in certain regions of Europe because it provided a cheap alternative to expensive black pepper.

Chilies soon spread to Asia, Africa and other tropical regions, where they became even more popular. It is impossible to imagine Indian, Thai or Szechuan cuisine without this spicy seasoning.

Vital spice

Chile? An economical way to add spice to bland food. But there is another reason why it has become such an important part of traditional cuisine. According to a 1998 report by biologists at Cornell University, the main reason? its ability to “kill bacteria and fungi in food.”

Before the invention of refrigeration, spoiled food easily caused poisoning and death, especially in tropical regions. Chili not only gave food a spicy taste, but also made it safe.

Research shows that chili reduces the risk of poisoning from salmonella, listeria and other pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Other studies suggest capsaicin, the substance that imparts its pungent taste, may help fight cancer.

Remedy for pain

The botanical name of chilli pepper is Capsicum. This name comes from the Greek "to bite".

Capsaicin? an odorless, oily alkaloid found in the casing of peppers that holds the seeds inside the fruit. When capsaicin comes into contact with any part of the body, a burning sensation occurs that lasts from a few seconds to several days. The mucous membranes are especially sensitive to this substance. Anyone who has accidentally rubbed their eyes while chopping a japapeño pepper will attest to this.

From poblanos and cayenne peppers to habaneros? The heat of different varieties of pepper varies. In 1912, pharmacist Wilbur Scoville developed a scale to rate the heat of chili. The Scoville system describes how many cups of water are needed to get rid of the burning sensation in the tongue after eating a certain pepper. For example, is a capsicum a zero on this scale? it does not leave a burning sensation. Jalapenos have a rating of 5,000 to 15,000 points; the heat of cayenne pepper sometimes reaches 100,000 points.

The peppers are always hot

Several new records have been set over the past few years. Recently, Bhut Jolokia (ghost pepper) was considered the hottest pepper. Its heat reached 1,000,000 points. But he lost the title to the Trinidad Scorpion with 2,000,000 points. Its heat is comparable to pepper spray. In 2014, the Carolina Reaper variety entered the Guinness Book of Records as the hottest pepper in the world? 2,200,000 points.

Botanical illustration of cayenne pepper by Frank Eugen Kohler. Photo: Public Domain

For a plant that causes so much discomfort, pepper is surprisingly safe. According to one study, you need to eat 1.3 kg of the hottest pepper to die. Considering that most people cannot comfortably eat even one chili pod, the likelihood of pepper poisoning is negligible.

In fact, capsaicin has positive effects on the body. It can be used to treat chronic pain. Commission E, the German commission that regulates herbal medicine, has approved cayenne pepper as a topical treatment for muscle spasms. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved an arthritis ointment containing 0.25 percent capsaicin. According to some studies, karsaicin is effective for cluster headaches.

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It seems incredible that a substance that causes pain can relieve pain. But capsaicin affects the body's chemical processes. The application of capsaicin depletes the neurotransmitters that signal pain, and the painful sensations subside. But first the ointment causes a burning sensation.

Concentrated cansaicin ointment is available only in doctor's offices. To use such a burning ointment, the patient is first given local anesthesia.

Does capsaicin also trigger the production of endorphins? a happiness hormone secreted by the pituitary gland in response to pain. Those who have endured the terrible sensation of eating very hot peppers then feel a euphoria that can last for hours.

Digestion

In traditional herbal medicine, chilies are considered a stimulant. It is often used to improve slow digestion. In herbal medicine, for constipation, it is recommended to add a lot of chili peppers to food.

Hot pepper does not harm the lining of the intestinal walls. It was previously believed that hot peppers aggravate stomach ulcers. But according to new research, it helps cure it. However, people who suffer from an irritable digestive system, such as irritable bowel syndrome, should avoid chili: it will worsen these symptoms.

Cayenne pepper, illustration by Leonhart Fuchs. Photo: Public Domain

Benefits for the Heart

Hot peppers not only help with a number of ailments, but also enhance the effects of other herbs when used in herbal formulas. That's why some herbalists add cayenne pepper to almost all formulas.

One of the admirers of cayenne pepper is Samuel Thomson, the father of American herbal medicine. At the beginning of the 19th century, Western doctors still used bloodletting to treat diseases. Thomson became interested in the medicinal plants that the Indians used. His favorite plants were cayenne pepper and lobelia.

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According to Dr. John Christopher, a 20th-century herbalist, “cayenne pepper? one of the best plants in history." His daily diet included a tablespoon of cayenne pepper diluted in a glass of water. According to Dr. Christopher, cayenne pepper? one of the best remedies for cardiovascular diseases. According to him, a strong decoction of cayenne pepper can even save a person from a heart attack.

Chili improves heart function, prevents blood clots in blood vessels, normalizes blood pressure and dilates arteries. A pinch of cayenne pepper powder placed on a wound stops bleeding within a minute and usually without pain.

Due to its antimicrobial effect, hot pepper is a good remedy for treating flu and colds. Pepper kills germs and relieves cold symptoms. Capsaicin thins mucus, this will help get rid of a clogged nose and stagnation of mucus in the lungs.

How to use?

If you would like to receive regular doses of capsaicin to treat a specific condition, cayenne pepper tinctures and capsules are available. But it is much more interesting to consume it with food. In addition to capsaicin, chili peppers contain large amounts of vitamins A, B, C, E, calcium, phosphorus and iron.

There are many ways to include capsaicin in your diet: fresh chopped peppers, dried flakes, cayenne pepper powder, chili vinegar or hot chili sauce. Hot sauce is easy to make at home. Take salt, vinegar, garlic and several types of hot spices (raw or roasted), and grind everything in a blender.

How do you know if there is too much chili?

Only your language can determine this. Tolerance to hot pepper varies from person to person. But the more often you eat chili, the more you get used to the heat.

If you eat too much chili, don't drink the water. This will only make the pain worse. It is better to eat pepper with starchy food: bread, rice or potatoes. And the best remedy? milk. Dairy products contain a substance called casein, which neutralizes capsaicin.

Hot chili pepper burn: first aid.

Hot pepper seasoning adds real heat and piquancy to any prepared dish. For this reason it has gained enormous popularity among chefs of different national cultures. The presence of unusual taste qualities and many useful substances of the vegetable crop is overshadowed by one drawback - the high content of capsaicin, which has the ability to cause real biological burns to unprotected skin of the hands. In case of careless use of the product during preparation, it is necessary to take immediate measures to prevent burns. We will discuss how to do this correctly in this article.

Hot, bitter, red peppers and chili cause your hands to burn and burn very badly: what should you do, what should you use to wash your hands with?

• Due to its casein content, milk is considered the best way to neutralize capsaicin. Wash your hands with milk or curdled milk - this will help avoid burns and relieve severe burning.
• If there are no dairy products, place the affected area under a stream of cold water. Repeat the procedure several times until the burning sensation disappears.

Hand burn from hot pepper: what to do?

After washing your hands using one of the above methods, do the following:

1. Take a tablet of any antihistamine
2. Lubricate with available medicinal or folk remedy

What to anoint your hands after hot pepper: list of remedies, recipes

After the rinsing procedure, pharmaceutical preparations will help reduce the burning sensation:

1. Gel "Solcoseryl"
2. Spray "Panthenol"
3. Cream "Pantoderm"

• Apply any of the following products several times a day, as needed

Several effective folk methods will help alleviate the condition:

1 option

• Pour 0.5 liters of water into a basin
• Dissolve 1 tbsp in it. l. soda
• Add a glass of ice cubes
• Make a compress for your hands for 10 minutes
• After half an hour, repeat the procedure

Option 2

• Mix a handful of table salt with a small amount of water until it becomes a thick porridge.
• Wipe the damaged areas with the resulting mixture.
• Wash off the slurry with milk
• Then rinse your hands with cold water
• Lubricate with rich cream
• The procedure requires repeated use

Option 3

• Combine some olive oil and sugar
• Massage the damaged areas with the healing mixture for 2-3 minutes
• Rinse off with warm water. Rub in sea buckthorn oil

Option 4

Make an alcohol compress. For this:

• Place your hands in a deep bowl with any alcoholic drink for a few minutes
• Rinse off the solution with cool water

Option 5

• Rub the damaged areas with a slice of lemon
• Do not wash off as long as possible
• Natural acids are good for neutralizing burns

Option 6

• Apply a compress of raw potatoes to the affected areas
• After 5 minutes, walk the pieces of ice over the entire surface of your hands.
• Dry without wiping

Option 7

• Apply a small amount of toothpaste to your hands
• Hold until you feel relief
• Rinse first with any dairy product, then with water.

Option 8

• Cover the affected area with slices of fresh cucumber
• Keep it on for at least 15 minutes
• Then rinse with water and apply baby cream

Despite the many ways to get rid of a hot pepper burn, it is better to avoid this trouble. To do this, use thin rubber gloves before you start preparing it.

Video: Lifehacks: How to extinguish the burning sensation in your mouth after chili pepper?

The name chili pepper was given personally by Christopher Columbus by analogy with the famous seasoning from South India. The prefix "chili" means "red" in the Aztec language. Both the famous traveler and the natives appreciated the benefits of the plant.

What are the benefits of chili pepper?

Despite the name, chili peppers have no botanical relation to black pepper. Plants belong to different families and grow in different parts of the world. They are related only by their culinary purpose: most peoples of the world are familiar with different types of peppers and use them as seasonings.

Chili peppers are native to South America. Aborigines cultivated the plant about 6 thousand years ago in Ecuador. Now the family includes hundreds of types of peppers, which differ in the degree of hotness.

The strong burning taste is due to the high level of capsaicin alkaloid. Its greatest concentration is in the white pulp and small seeds inside the fruit. Ordinary vegetables contain very small amounts of this substance, for example, bell peppers - only 0.03%. To assess the pungency of capsicums, the American chemist Wilbur Scovil developed a scale based on his own subjective feelings. Scovil dissolved extracts of various peppers in sugar syrup until their taste was no longer noticeable. The more syrup required, the hotter the pepper was considered to be. According to the rating, the world's hottest pepper, Naga Jolokia from India, has an index of 1.04 million SHU for capsaicin content. This means that the burning taste ceases to be felt if 1 g of extract is dissolved in 1000 liters of sugar syrup!

Indian Naga Jolokia pepper is so hot that it can cause irritation even if it is simply applied to the skin, and it is recommended to use rubber gloves when handling it. Its Scoville index is 1.04 million SHU. At the same time, American self-defense sprays based on pepper extract have a sales figure of 2 million.

Hot peppers are widely used in the medical industry. Anti-frostbite ointments, alcohol tinctures, medical patches and medicated toothpastes are made from capsaicin, which accelerate the regeneration of damaged tissues of the oral mucosa and have a weak analgesic effect. What else is chili pepper good for?

Pepper against germs

The natural purpose of capsaicin is to protect the plant from pathogenic organisms. When eating pepper, the body increases its immunity. Chili pepper is especially effective in treating runny nose and colds. In addition, plant extracts were given to the wounded during military conflicts when there was a shortage of medicines.

Capsaicin inhibits the bacterium helicobacter pylori, the main “culprit” of gastritis and stomach ulcers. In addition, capsaicin can act as a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals.

Capsaicin and essential oil increase blood flow to the pelvic organs and tone the nervous system

Pepper and male potency

It is believed that the Indians of South America were the first to add hot peppers to food to increase potency. Capsaicin and essential oil increase blood flow to the pelvic organs and tone the nervous system.

At the same time, a water-alcohol solution infused with pepper has the opposite effect, inhibiting the reproductive system.

Pepper burns fat

Scientists from the University of California have concluded that chili peppers can help burn fat in the body. Capsaicin activates the process of fat oxidation.

Researchers from Purdue University have shown that red pepper in small quantities can suppress appetite if a person does not normally consume spicy foods. Red pepper increases body temperature and speeds up metabolic processes. According to the authors of the work, pepper should be consumed in its usual form, and not in capsules.

Chili peppers are also often used in the manufacture of anti-cellulite preparations. It causes a rush of blood to problem areas and stimulates the breakdown of fat cells that create the “orange peel” effect.

Pepper reduces blood pressure

Chinese doctors from the Third Military Medical University in Chongqing claim that chili pepper can lower blood pressure. In experiments with laboratory mice, capsaicin relaxed blood vessels. Chili increased the production of nitric oxide, which is known for its protective properties against inflammation and vascular dysfunction.

Chinese doctors cannot yet say how much pepper you need to consume per day to protect your blood vessels.

Pepper and cancer

A team of researchers from the University of Nottingham has discovered that hot peppers can kill cancer cells. They were prompted to this idea by the fact that peoples who traditionally consume hot peppers as food are less susceptible to this disease.

It turned out that capsaicin affects the mitochondria - the “energy stations” - of malignant cells. Capsaicin binds to mitochondrial proteins and stimulates the processes of apoptosis - cell self-destruction. In this case, capsaicin attacks only cancer cells, without affecting healthy ones.

However, there is also an opposite opinion. Scientists from the University of Minnesota have found that capsaicin can also act as a carcinogen, especially in the early stages of tumor development.

It has long been known that red hot pepper has many beneficial properties. For example, when consumed, it perfectly rids the body of harmful substances and microbes, promotes better digestion and can relieve toothache.

In addition, hot hot peppers have a positive effect on a person’s overall well-being, adding a boost of vivacity and energy throughout the day, and most importantly, is absolutely harmless to the stomach.

But despite all the merits of pepper, sometimes a situation arises when you just urgently need to get rid of the terrible burning sensation in your mouth. So, if it happens that you swallowed too much red pepper, and if your mouth burns very strongly from hot pepper, then... you first need to remember one very important rule: Never wash red pepper down with water right away.

How to soothe the burning sensation in your mouth from red pepper

The fact is that red hot pepper contains a substance called capsaicin, due to which the pepper has such a specific taste. This substance is insoluble in water, and therefore, washing down the “fire” with a glass of water will only increase the discomfort. The same applies to tea.

• In such a situation, something dairy or fermented milk, for example, milk or yogurt, will best help. It is advisable that these products be cold, so they can fight pepper more effectively.

• Surprisingly, alcohol also works great against red pepper. It is preferable if it is a glass of wine or beer.

• If you don’t have any alcoholic drinks or fermented milk on hand, boiled potatoes or any other boiled vegetables will help to quickly extinguish the flame in your mouth.

• In extreme cases, a piece of white or black bread will help out, which will quickly help absorb the hot oil of red pepper and relieve the burning sensation.

These are the basic tips on what to do if your mouth burns from hot pepper, which will help you quickly and successfully remove the unpleasant sensations from eating it in large quantities.

Site columnist Boris Burda explains why red peppers are so hot and shares his recipe for Chili con carne.

From the darkness of fresh ages

Europe became acquainted with red pepper when Columbus, among other rarities, introduced to the surprised nobles “red salt,” which gives dishes a piquant taste, but is completely unsalted. But it burned so badly that a number of valiant conquistadors suffered severely from the Indians’ use of poisonous gases. Where did the Indians get poison gases from? Yes, they burned pepper—clouds of excellent cayenne or chili would render any warrior completely unfit for battle. Moreover, the cruel Aztecs punished naughty children by forcing them to inhale burning red pepper. As a result of this, all the Aztecs were very obedient.

Burning secret

It's all about a substance called capsaicin, which is not only hot, but also insoluble in water. By the way, that’s why it’s useless to drink water for those who grabbed the pepper. Alcohol is more likely to help - capsaicin dissolves well in alcohol. The hellish burning sensation is also somewhat softened by sugar solutions, citrus fruits, soda, fats and especially milk, which does not even dilute the burning substance, but rather neutralizes it. Absorbs capsaicin and ordinary bread. The lion's share of the heat is contained in the seeds and partitions of the pepper. If you carefully remove them, the pepper will become softer, but will not lose its flavor. It is better to do this with gloves, and do not even think about rubbing your eyes with the hands you used to touch the pepper - you will not see white light in the full sense of the word.

Chili con carne / Shutterstock

More and less terrible

Detroit pharmacist Wilbur Scoville developed a scale for the heat of peppers, and the heat is the number of parts of water that must be added to one part of the pepper so that three out of five people who try this solution do not feel the hot taste. The heat of pure capsaicin is 16,000,000, of peppers – naturally, less. Be guided, at least very approximately, by the fact that: a) small peppers are hotter than large ones, b) thin ones are stronger than thick ones. But the color doesn’t say much: super hot peppers come in both red and green. So, if you already eat pepper, eat it more often - the body gets used to it, and if you eat pepper regularly, the dose can be greatly increased. True, if you don’t eat pepper for two weeks, the habit disappears...

How does red pepper affect your health?

If you don't have stomach problems, pepper will probably be good for you. But if you abuse it, don’t expect any good. In India and Mexico there is a lot of not only red pepper, but also stomach cancer. But red pepper does not harm healthy people; moreover, it reduces the likelihood of cancer. Eating chili is an excellent remedy for insomnia. And a runny nose can’t stand the smell of chili – it disappears. I understand him... And there are enough vitamins in pepper. Vitamin P got its name from the word “paprika” - it was there that scientists found it in 1936.

What is it eaten with?

It goes with meat, fish, and marinades; it is the basis of a lot of sauces, including the famous Tabasco, which is added drop by drop to dishes, and Tunisian harissa, and Caucasian adjika, and Anglo-Indian curry, and Malayan American ketchup. It decorates vegetable salads, dishes made from cottage cheese and eggs, and it’s so good with rice - just try it! Lovers of real borscht will be happy to dangle the pod in a plate. And one more thing: vodka infused with beautiful pepper has a subtle taste and looks good on the table.

/Recipe

Chili con carne

Let's take 800 grams of beef and 200 grams of fatty pork or lard in general. Cut the beef into small cubes, and cut the lard into cracklings. Melt half the lard and fry half the beef in it until noticeably crusty. Then we will do the same with the second half - so that the water evaporates faster and the meat is fried and not stewed. We’ll chop three sweet peppers coarsely, we’ll clean four purple onions and cut them into rings, we’ll crush half a can of tomatoes in their own juice (four hundred grams) with a fork, we’ll open two cans of red beans, and we’ll peel a head of garlic. Peel four or five chili peppers from seeds and partitions and chop them.

Red pepper / Shutterstock

Transfer the meat to the cauldron. Add sweet peppers, onions, chili, a glass of broth to the meat, close the lid and simmer until the meat is almost done. Add spices to taste - ground coriander, oregano, cumin, maybe a little cumin. Squeeze the garlic there with a masher, add beans and tomatoes, add salt to taste, mix everything and continue to simmer. Serve with rice.