Don't we all have these friends? They flex with Scoville numbers, eat Takis for breakfast and throw around words like "reaper", "ghost" or "scorpion". If you also quickly feel left behind, don't worry. We give you the hot basics in our FAQs.
What makes chilis hot?
The magic word is capsaicin - the absolute tongue burner. This substance is found mainly in chilis and is said to prevent animals and insects from nibbling on the plant.
When you eat a pepper, the capsaicin activates certain receptors on your tongue that normally respond to heat. Your brain interprets this as "Watch out, it's hot!" and you feel the burning sensation. The more capsaicin a chili contains, the hotter it is.
By the way, capsaicin is not only popular in the kitchen – it is also used in pain creams because it can block the sensation of pain after a while.
What is Scoville?
Scoville units (SHU, Scoville Heat Units) are a unit of measurement for determining the spiciness of chili peppers and other spicy foods. They were developed by the American chemist and pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville in 1912 and are named after him. The spiciness is determined by the amount of capsaicin that causes the burning sensation in the mouth.
How is Scoville measured?
Scoville Heat Units (SHU) seem complicated at first glance because they don't directly indicate the amount of capsaicin in the food. Instead, they show how many times you have to dilute something until the spiciness is no longer noticeable. If someone tells you that a jalapeño has 8,000 SHU, that means you would have to dilute it with 8,000 times as much water to no longer taste the spiciness. For a single jalapeño, that would be about 80 liters of water. If you try a Carolina Reaper with 2 million Scoville, you would theoretically need two fire extinguisher tanks to neutralize the spiciness.
The spiciness can quickly bring tears to your eyes. When you eat spicy food, the capsaicin activates nerves in your mouth that normally respond to heat. Your body produces tears to flush the mucous membranes and relieve the burning sensation. (Photo via Pexels, Kindel Media)
What should I pay attention to when cooking with chilis?
When eating particularly spicy food, we strongly advise you to wear gloves! Spicy food doesn't just burn in the mouth, but also on the skin. If you've never eaten spicy food before, approach it slowly. In our shop, we make sure to specify exactly how hot you can expect. It's better to start with mild sauces and snacks and build up slowly. Some people naturally have more or fewer nerves in their mouth, which affects how intensely they perceive spiciness. In addition, the body gets used to spiciness over time - that means the more often you eat spicy food, the more you can tolerate. If you do overdo it, have milk or yogurt ready - that neutralizes the burning sensation the fastest.
What are the most important chili varieties currently?
- Carolina Reaper, the hottest chili in the world (at least according to the Guinness Book)
- Trinidad Scorpion Butch T, the former hottest chili in the world
- Bhut Jolokia "Ghost Pepper", also a former hottest chili in the world
- Habanero, still very hot - but with a fruity note
- Jalapeño, probably the most famous chili variety in the world (but rather moderately hot)
Header photo via Pexels, Red Chili Lot photo
