How come they say that drinking water after eating something spicy makes it feel worse?!
These 2 work best as they have a high fat content. Also if your 21 drinking pale ales and wines will help cool your tongue.
Note to those that say water works:If you had been paying attention in sixth-grade science class like you should've, you would already know the answer to this question, which can be summed up thusly: oil and water don't mix.
The fiery spices in the foods you mention are oil-based, and thus mix readily with the cooking oil and/or natural juices the food simmers in. When you eat the stuff, the oil coats your tongue and throat, and for complicated molecular reasons that we need not discuss right here, repels all efforts to wash it down with water. Water doesn't actually make the burning sensation worse, but by eliminating other distracting tastes I suppose we might say it purifies the agony.
So what does work? Logic would suggest two approaches: dilutants (more oil) and solvents (such as alcohol). Best dilutant I know of is milk, which generally works like a charm. If that's not macho enough for you, you can try an alcoholic beverage appropriate to the occasion. A shot of tequila, for instance, in a Mexican restaurant. Then again, you may feel that the cure is worse than the disease. Some people swear by bread or, better yet, a flour tortilla. These sop up the oil and carry it away. Clearly this is an empirical process, and one in which all the Teeming Millions can play a part. If you've got a better idea, send it in. Sorry, no T-shirts or coffee mugs. But you'll have the satisfaction of making the world a better place.-http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_...
Answers: The oil in the spicy item lets say a Jalapeno is called Capsaicin which gets spread around even more by drinking water, which if you have ever noticed oil and water dont mix. Same goes for the Capsaicin oil found in spicy foods. For cooling your tongue Milk is best, bread and crackers will work too but not as well as milk. Ice Cream will work too as it cools and is very cold and sweet.
These 2 work best as they have a high fat content. Also if your 21 drinking pale ales and wines will help cool your tongue.
Note to those that say water works:If you had been paying attention in sixth-grade science class like you should've, you would already know the answer to this question, which can be summed up thusly: oil and water don't mix.
The fiery spices in the foods you mention are oil-based, and thus mix readily with the cooking oil and/or natural juices the food simmers in. When you eat the stuff, the oil coats your tongue and throat, and for complicated molecular reasons that we need not discuss right here, repels all efforts to wash it down with water. Water doesn't actually make the burning sensation worse, but by eliminating other distracting tastes I suppose we might say it purifies the agony.
So what does work? Logic would suggest two approaches: dilutants (more oil) and solvents (such as alcohol). Best dilutant I know of is milk, which generally works like a charm. If that's not macho enough for you, you can try an alcoholic beverage appropriate to the occasion. A shot of tequila, for instance, in a Mexican restaurant. Then again, you may feel that the cure is worse than the disease. Some people swear by bread or, better yet, a flour tortilla. These sop up the oil and carry it away. Clearly this is an empirical process, and one in which all the Teeming Millions can play a part. If you've got a better idea, send it in. Sorry, no T-shirts or coffee mugs. But you'll have the satisfaction of making the world a better place.-http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_...
The stuff that makes peppers spicy (capcaisin) is only soluble in oil.
Drinking water just spreads it around while eating fatty foods helps dilute it.
When I drink water after eating something spicy it makes it feel better not worse. Just because "they" say that doesn't mean it's true.
It spreads the volatile oils around the mouth because fat does not mix with water. Whereas milk has fat in it and will carry the volatile oils that cause the heat away.
Sour Cream is usually served with Mexican Foods to solve the very burning you are asking about. Milk does work too, as does other fatty dairy products like ice cream. It is true the oils in spicy peppers stays on the tongue for a bit, water and the oil doesn't mix.
I've never heard that, I've heard not to drink anything carbonated or with citrus and that milk is a good idea to cut the spicyness.