Capsaicin is a chemical compound found in peppers, and capsaicin is the substance that create the sensation of heat in the mouth. Many people believe that the seed of a pepper are the source of the heat, but the seeds are not the primary source of the heat. The white placental membrane that hold the seeds in place contains the highest concentration of capsaicin, so the white placental membrane is the part of the pepper that cause the most heat.
When you eat a pepper, the capsaicin binds to your pain receptors, and the capsaicin tricks your brain into feeling heat even if there is no actual heat present. Because the brain perceives the capsaicin as heat, your body reacts to the capsaicin by sweating or by releasing endorphins. The Scoville scale is a measurement used to categorize the heat level of different peppers.
What Makes Peppers Hot and How to Handle the Heat
The Scoville scale allow a person to understand how much heat a pepper will produce. Some peppers have very low Scoville scale ratings, and these peppers provide flavor without providing heat. For example, bell peppers and banana peppers are low on the Scoville scale, so bell peppers and banana peppers is suitable for people who dont want to experience heat.
Other peppers, such as jalapeños or fresno peppers, occupy a medium range on the Scoville scale, and medium-range peppers provide a moderate amount of heat. Some peppers are very high on the Scoville scale, and these high-Scoville peppers, such as the habanero, the ghost pepper, or the carolina reaper, produce extreme heat. When a pepper reach millions of units on the Scoville scale, the pepper acts more like a chemical irritant then a standard food ingredient.
If you experience heat from eating a pepper, you must manage the capsaicin in your mouth. You may feel the urge to drink water to stop the heat, but water is not effective because capsaicin is an oil and capsaicin does not dissolve in water. Drinking water can actually spread the capsaicin around your mouth, and spreading the capsaicin will increase the sensation of heat.
Instead, you should consume dairy products because dairy products contains a protein called casein. The casein in dairy products acts like a detergent to bind to the capsaicin, and the casein helps to remove the capsaicin from your mouth. Additionally, you can eat starchy foods like bread or rice because starchy foods can absorb the capsaicin oils and dilute the capsaicin.
If you want to grow peppers, you must provide the peppers with plenty of sunlight and warmth. Peppers requires sunlight and warmth to develop high heat levels and complex flavors. For example, you can start pepper seeds indoors to give the seeds a controlled environment before the frost pass.
Once the peppers are mature, you can dry the peppers to intensifies the flavor of the peppers. If you grow peppers for the purpose of making hot sauce, you should remember that the heat of the hot sauce depends on the Scoville scale rating of the peppers you use. Maintaining a supply of dairy products or starchy foods is a helpful way to manage the heat from peppers.