What's the best thing to stop the spiciness of a food?!


Question: I don't like the spicy feeling lingering in me mouth. I heard people said drinking cold drinks will make it worse, so drink warm drinks instead...

Answers: I don't like the spicy feeling lingering in me mouth. I heard people said drinking cold drinks will make it worse, so drink warm drinks instead...
Got enough disparate advice? A little knowledge about the chemistry of food and cooking will help you. Here's an explanation and a solution.

The compound that causes the spiciness or "heat" from hot peppers used in different dishes is called "capsaicin." It is what's called a fat soluble compound. It is NOT water soluble. So drinking water -- warm or cold -- is simply futile, but eating or drinking anything with a significant amount of oil or fat in it (cream works well, for example, or butter, or a mild vinaigrette dressing or high-fat cheese) will dissolve the capsaicin from the surface tissues in your mouth and relieve the burning. Like water, the use of sugar (which is water soluble, not fat soluble) suggested here is also futile.

Better living through chemistry, you see!
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Other Answers (13)

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  • Peter Gibbons's Avatar by Peter Gibbons
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    • Water never helps. Sour cream is excellent for reducing heat.
    Water doesn't help. Try eating bread or sweet candy/chocolate. Everything that's room temperatured and not spicy. =)
    Sugar helps, so anything with sugar in it can cut the heat. Also try bread, milk, or beer. They all have natural elements that help cut the heat.
    yes... drink warm drinks instead... although it will taste even spicer at first, it will eventually taste better...
    sugar
    Icy lemonade or warm water will do the trick.
    Milk is the best for neutralizing the flavor, or if you don't like milk eat some bread and it will absorb the saliva that still has the spicy aftereffect.
    Milk and orange juice wash away the spiceness completely.
    rice ,that why in the asian countries where spicy food is served it is always with steamed rice.milk helps a little
    Uhh, have you tried not putting spices in it? I mean, thats pretty much the obvious answer. Or, just deal with it. And drinking cold drinks DOES work pretty well
    Eat tortillas, that helps me. I eat food with chile everyday. But the best thing by far is to eat sour cream or drink milk.
    Milk
    Don't be lazy --- cook yourself!!!
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