“The Hidden World of Chili Peppers” Transcript
Imagine your mouth burning like wildfire, your eyes squirting out uncontrollable tears, and your
face red and sweating profusely. Are you sick? No—you just took a bite of a screaming hot chili
pepper. Congratulations, you’re partaking in a worldwide tradition that has been spicing up lives
and diets for thousands of years.
My own desire for spicy meals led me to investigate why I get red in the face and salivate at the
mere thought of eating a spicy chili. In the process, I’ve discovered there’s a lot more to chili
peppers than I’d ever imagined.
Now that we know a little bit about the history of chili pepper, let’s see why they can put such a
fire in our belly. The pleasure and pain involved in eating chili peppers comes from a chemical
called capsaicin. Capsaicin is concentrated in the pepper’s veins and seeds, pictured here. To
enjoy the flavor of a chili pepper without burning your stomach or mouth, avoid the veins and
seeds when cooking or eating them.
have an allergic reaction just by touching it, which is why I’m holding it by the stem. The mildest
pepper is the standard green bell, which you see at the grocery store everyday. It’s been rated
at zero Scoville Heat Units.
If you eat an orange habanero pepper, it’s important to know how to deal with the burning
sensation. Whatever you do, do not rinse your mouth with water. Dave DeWitt, in The Chili
Pepper Encyclopedia, tells us capsaicin is not soluble in water. And even if you drink a gallon of
ice water, it’s not going to help. According to the Chili Pepper Institute at New Mexico State
University, the best solution is to consume a dairy product such as milk or yogurt, which contain
a substance that strips away capsaicin from the interior cells of your mouth. This is why some
hot foods, like Indian foods, are served with yogurt sauce. If you burn your skin, the Institute
recommends cleansing the area with rubbing alcohol and then soaking it with milk. Above all,
remember two things: First, always wear gloves when you cut a hot pepper such as a habanero.
Second, never rub your eyes when working with hot chili peppers.