What happens if you eat the hottest peppers in the world

Why is pepper hot

The reason for the hotness of pepper in capsaicin - an alkaloid that excites the branches of the trigeminal nerve, irritates the upper respiratory tract, skin and mucous membranes. It is actively used in medicine, for example, in pepper plaster. Several studies have shown the effectiveness of the substance in the fight against malignant cells.

It is capsaicin that leads to a predictable reaction after eating pepper: tears, coughing, burning.

How the pungency of a pepper is measured

Although there are no comrades in taste and color, the pungency of pepper is not a completely subjective category. How to calculate it was invented by the American chemist Wilbur Scoville. He diluted the alcoholic infusion of pepper with sweet water until the liquid ceased to be hot. The amount of water became the unit of measure for pungency, turning into points. Chili pepper is taken as the starting point with a score of one point.

Scoville created a table of pungency of peppers in the early 20th century. Over the years, new positions have appeared in it. Among the products occupying the top 10 lines of the rating, only three are pepper varieties.

Scoville rating	Product	What is it
16 000 000 000	Resiniferatoxin	Substance obtained from two types of milkweed growing in Africa
5 300 000 000	Tiniatoxin	A neurotoxin extracted from Poisson's milkweed
16 000 000	Pure capsaicin	Capsicum alkaloid
15 000 000	Dihydrocapsaicin	Capsaicinoid, a capsaicin analog
9 200 000	Nonivamid	Thermostable analogue of capsaicin
9 100 000	Nordihydrocapsaicin	Capsaicinoid, a capsaicin analog
8 600 000	Homocapsaicin	Capsaicinoid, a capsaicin analog
3 180 000	Pepper x	Pepper variety
2 500 000	"Dragon breath"	Pepper variety
From 1,500,000 to 2,300,000	"Carolina Reaper"	Pepper variety

In the first place with a score of 16 billion points is a substance obtained from two types of milkweed growing in Africa - rubberiferatoxin. It is a natural analogue of capsaicin, but a thousand times more pungent than pure capsaicin. A dose of 10 g of resiniferatoxin consumed in food can be lethal.

Pepper X is considered the hottest pepper since 2017. It scored 3.18 million points and is in eighth place in the Scoville table. A very spicy sauce is made on its basis.

On the next line, both in the table and in the ranking of the hottest peppers in the world, there is a variety "devil's breath" with a pungency of 2.48 million points. Scientists warn that testing the "breath of the devil" can lead to death.

The cultivar, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the hottest pepper in the world, is only in third place in the Scoville table. It is a "Caroline reaper" with red fruits, and its pungency ranges between 1, 5 and 2.3 million points. Perhaps it is precisely because of this variability that the result of using this pepper can be different.

What happens if you eat very hot peppers

Initially, the pungency of peppers was learned to calculate the proportions of ingredients in dishes in order to achieve the ideal pungency of food. In fact, the hottest pepper in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records is used for various contests, challenges, pranks and exciting videos. Sometimes eaters receive not only fame and views, but also damage to important organs.

In 2016, Jamaican-born Wayne Algenio set the record for eating the fruit of the Caroline Harvester. In 60 seconds, he ate 22 peppers. This did not cause any health problems for the man, although he promised never to repeat this peculiar feat again.

For another participant in similar competitions, everything ended worse. After the competition, he received a syndrome of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction. Due to the narrowing of the arteries, the man was tormented by pain in the head and neck. The syndrome passed over time, but the case attracted the interest of doctors.

Less hot peppers can also lead to health problems. The fruit of the Naga Jolokia variety (855–1,500 points) burned a hole in the esophagus of a 47-year-old man. He also took part in the competition, and he didn't even eat pure pepper, but a burger with a spicy addition.

What happens if you abuse spicy food

To get health problems, you don't have to experiment with the leaders of the Scoville table, sometimes just burning food is enough for this.

Anna Ivashkevich nutritionist, clinical psychologist-nutritionist, member of the National Association of Clinical Nutrition

An excess of spicy food will lead to the development of gastritis, inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Burning food can damage the taste buds and disrupt their function, making the food taste tasteless.

Those who have already encountered problems with the digestive system are at increased risk.

Tatiana Panova therapist of the mobile clinic DOC +

Spicy food, even in small quantities, can exacerbate acid-related diseases: gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastroduodenitis, duodenal ulcer and stomach ulcer, pancreatitis. With these diseases, the use of acute is prohibited.

How to eat spicy food without harm to health

Experts advise against eating spicy foods on an empty stomach. If there is a desire to eat something really spicy, it should be done only after or during the meal.

It is best to season protein-rich foods. Such food is digested using a large amount of acid, which creates a kind of buffer in the stomach and protects the mucous membrane.

Tatiana Panova

If you become a victim of a joker who slipped something burning into your plate, pour dairy products on the fire in your mouth.

Dairy products contain the protein casein, which removes capsaicin from nerve endings. In principle, ordinary rice has the same effect.

Anna Ivashkevich

Those who intend to participate in the hot pepper eating competition should be athletic and patient. You do not hang 230 kg on the barbell at once, you also need to move towards gastronomic records gradually.

How spicy food is good for

With the risks of eating very spicy food sorted out, it's time to restore its reputation. Hot spices cause blood flow to the walls of the stomach, help to restore the mucous membrane and improve digestion. And pepper is also an assistant on the path to harmony.

Spicy foods can help you lose weight. Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which speeds up metabolism, increases body temperature and increases heart rate.

Anna Ivashkevich

What is worth remembering

Eating very hot peppers can lead to health problems.
You can not abuse spicy foods if you have diseases of the digestive system.
Spicy is best combined with protein foods. But it is not worth eating on an empty stomach.
If your mouth burns from what you eat, drink milk or eat rice.