It burns our mouths, makes us sweat and even causes our eyes to water. So what is it about spicy food that keeps us coming back? While capsaicin – the substance that makes chillies feel hot – is not addictive, the rush of endorphins it causes us to release, has us hooked. The good news is that with National Curry week upon us (13 – 20 October), we’ve unearthed some clever ways to quell the flames.
Got milk?
The active ingredient in most spicy foods is something called capsaicin. This stuff is hydrophobic, which basically means it doesn’t dissolve in water. The good news is it does dissolve in fat, which is one of the reasons dairy foods like yoghurt and milk are so adept at cooling you down. Oil will also work – shot of Bertolli with your vindaloo, anyone?
Exercise some damage limitation
You’ve massively miscalculated the heat of your favourite spicy dish and don’t like the idea of burning the digestive tracts of your dinner guests. What do you do? Try adding coconut milk, sliced banana or fresh lemon or lime juice – all of which are known to reduce the heat of spicy dishes.
Wear disposable gloves
Chopping chillies? Wear disposable gloves. It might sound OTT but if you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to experience a piece of chilli under your fingernail, you’ll know that gloves are not to be scoffed at. They also eliminate the chance of any other sensitive areas feeling the burn.
Avoid water (and beer)
When our mouths are on fire our instinct is to neck the nearest glass of water or beer. But this is one of the worst things you can do. While fat dissolves capsaicin, water and beer merely feed the fire by spreading the spicy substance around your mouth.
Pile on the carbs
According to some, carbohydrates can help to reduce the sting of spice. How? The theory goes that carb-heavy foods like breads and rice help to absorb the oils that carry the heat. Which might explain the insatiable desire of many curry heads to eat their body weight in naan.
Choose your chillies wisely
Size is everything. Remember that whenever you’re making a dish with fresh chillies, it is the smallest specimens that usually pack the most heat. One of the hottest chillies ever recorded is the bhut jolokia, which is 400 times hotter than tabasco and can be as small as 5cm in length.
Don some lip balm
Lips are one of the most sensitive parts of the body, hence the reason they feel the burn more than (almost) anywhere. If your lips are overly sensitive to spicy food try applying lip balm before eating. Just don’t apply it afterwards – because you’ll end up sealing in the spice.
Avoid a bum deal
Lips aren’t the only part of the body that feel the heat. Ever experienced a dose of rump burn the day after a spicy dish? That’s because the anus is home to some of the same pain receptors found in the mouth. Save for keeping a roll of loo paper in the fridge, the only way to avoid a bum deal is holding back on the chillies.
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