How do you cool down your mouth after eating hot peppers?

Question

or any hot food.

Answer 1

Drink milk.

Answer 2

While liquids are often a first guess, a lot of the heat from peppers comes from a molecule called capsaicin, that is held in the oils of a pepper. Usually, the addition of more liquids such as water, lemonade, or the ever-popular cold milk does little more than just spread the heat around, as it cools off the nerves of the tongue, but not quite the taste buds. However, capsaicin is an alcohol-soluble molecule, therefore the only real way to quench the heat immediately would be to use any beverage that's approximately 50 proof or over to help dissolve the capsaicin and get your taste buds on ice. If you're not of legal age, then your choices are slimmer. Bread or crackers are popular to help absorb some of the heat, but I've found that vanilla wafers are far more effective than those, due in part to the added presence of sugar. A last thing you might try is some bubble-gum, to absorb some of your saliva and encourage your mouth to secrete more, untainted by the pepper. You'll just have to get a new piece after a few moments, as the flavor could be immediately tainted. Best of luck!

Answer 3

OK as an avid chili eater her is what you do (and Ive tried everything). The best way is to eat or drink something hot, for some reason this works, its the whole fight fire with fire. Another one that works is to drink milk and hold it in your mouth, but if it is a seriously hot pepper doing this I've found will just make you feel really nauseated. You can hold ice in your mouth but it wont make the hot go away. Oh and here's another tidbit, if you want to impress your friend with the amount of chili you can eat without crying in pain then coat your mouth with butter (no I'm not crazy). Just remember if its hot going in then its hot coming out.

Answer 4

What makes your tounge hot is a waxy subtance in the pepper. This is why water is not recomended, it only spreads the stuff around. Warmer water might work, but I have never tired it.

Milk, bananas, and bread can all tempraraly relieve the heat and even reduce it, but often will not take care of it fully.

What I have found that works best is a lomon-lime soda. Take a mouthful and hold it in your mouth for a few seconds. It will get alot worse at first, but then the heat will slacken off. I don't know if one of the ingredients in the soda does it or if your tounge just becomes numb, but it does the trick for me.

Answer 5

You do what comes naturally. You drink a lot of cold water - and perhaps swish it around in your mouth for awhile.

This cools your mouth as it dilutes and washes down the acids in spicy foods that cause your mouth to feel hot.

Answer 6

Yogurt. In Indian cooking they make "raita", which is a salad made with yogurt and cucumber to cool the palate after eating any hot spicy food.

Answer 7

For peppers, drink cold milk or spread cold yogurt on your tongue. It's a base and counteracts the burn. Plus it feels good 'cause it's cold. Otherwise, I'd pop an ice cube in my mouth.

Answer 8

Do not drink water, or water based drinks! Water actually helps capsaicinoids (the "heat" element in the pepper) to adhere to the inside of your mouth.

Drink milk or eat bread.

Answer 9

Bread or crackers. The heat is caused by the oil in the peppers & liquid will just spread that oil around in your mouth. The bread/crackers will absorb it.
Although, I have heard that milk does work.

Answer 10

The best way to reduce the burning sensation of hot pepers is by a health dose of dairy products - milk, cream, cheese, or yogurt.

Answer 11

Milk, bread, ice cream or my fav, cheese (or just enjoy it). Water will make it worse, or at least not help, by spreading the flavor to all the taste buds and other surfaces of the mouth.