Dr Daniel Eldridge, a senior lecturer in Chemistry at Swinburne University of Technology, has revealed the best drinks to extinguish the pain of spicy food. When your mouth is on fire, you might be tempted to reach for a glass of iced water. However, Dr Eldridge strongly advises against this, and instead suggests that a swig of oil, milk, or ice cream make for ideal choices. Whether it’s a curry, chilli sauce, or a hot pot, spicy foods all contain a family of compounds called capsaicinoids.
These compounds don’t physically heat up your mouth. Instead, they cause a burning sensation due to a reaction with the receptors in your mouth, which sends a signal to the brain, telling it that something is hot.
The only way to alleviate this heat is to remove the capsaicin from your mouth. ‘So why doesn’t drinking water help make that spicy feeling go away? And what would work better instead?’ The chemist explains that capsaicin is a hydrophobic molecule, which means it hates being in contact with water and will not easily mix with it.
Iced water is a particularly poor choice, as capsaicin is even less soluble in water at lower temperatures.
‘You may get a temporary sense of relief while the cold liquid is in your mouth, but as soon as you swallow it, you’ll be back where you started,’ Dr Eldridge added.
Instead, it’s best to opt for a drink that’s also hydrophobic. A swig of oil would do the trick, although Dr Eldridge realises that this is ‘perhaps not so palatable’, and instead recommends milk. ‘The first is that milk contains hydrophobic fats, which the capsaicin will more easily dissolve in, allowing it to be washed away. ‘The second is that dairy products contain a protein called casein. Casein plays a large role in keeping the fat mixed throughout your glass of milk, and it also has a strong affinity for capsaicin. ‘It will readily wrap up and encapsulate capsaicin molecules and assist in carrying them away from the receptor. This relieves the burning sensation.’
If the idea of drinking milk makes your stomach churn, Dr Eldridge has several other recommendations, including raita and ice cream. However, contrary to popular belief, reaching for an ice cold beer won’t help to alleviate the pain.
(Daily Mail)