That burning sensation you get when eating spicy food is due to a molecule called capsaicin (kap-say-sin). Some people love spicy food; some people hate it. At some point, you will probably want to ease the pain of burning food. Milk is the best way to neutralize spicy food. But, you won't always have milk at hand when your tongue begins to burn. Follow the steps below to cool down a hot mouth.
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Difficulty:
Moderate
Instructions
1
Use fatty products. Milk definitely eases the burn, but so do other products with high-fat content. Consume milk products like yogurt, ice cream, cheese, sour cream, butter, cottage cheese, whipped topping, or milk chocolate. Peanut butter is also said to work wonders at cooling down a hot tongue.
2
Reach for simple carbs. It is theorized that carbohydrates will absorb the oils carrying the heat. Eat a slice of bread, a scoop of rice, a muffin, or a bagel to ease the pain.
3
Try sugar. Chefs often cut heat levels in their prepared dishes by adding sugar. Sugar is usually readily available on restaurant tables. Put a spoonful of sugar in your mouth and suck on it until it completely dissolves. Sweet honey also reduces heat levels.
4
Apply acidic juices. Acid neutralized the alkaline capsaicin. Apply lemons, limes, or tomatoes juice to your burning mouth.
5
Drink alcohol. Capsaicin is not water soluble (this is why drinking water does not help), but it is fat soluble (see step one above) and alcohol soluble. Order beer or wine with your spicy foods and you will successfully cool down a hot mouth.
