Why does chili taste so hot?

Are you a fan of spicy food? If you have a low threshold for chili burn, your eyes probably water after a couple of bites of the papaya salad. To lessen the burning sensation, you automatically reach for a big glass of cold water. But does it work? What makes chili taste so spicy and is there a better way to stop the burn? We will explore the chemistry behind the spiciness that may better equip you for you next spicy Northeastern Thai meals.
The burning sensation in chill pepper is from a chemical known as “capsaicin”. Although capsaicin is present throughout the skin of the chili pepper, it is concentrated in the white layer that holds the chili pepper seeds. Capsaicin was the plant’s way to deter mammals from consuming chili pepper, as their gastric juice destroy the chili seeds and prevent the repopulation of the chili plants. According to the 2007 Guinness Book of World Record, the hottest chili pepper is the Naga jolokia pepper, which is grown more in India then any other countries. As a rough estimate, the Naga jolokia is 20-times spicier than the Thai chili pepper, which already brings most people to tears after just one bite.
There are several way to fight the chili burn. Cold water, however, is not the most effective way due to the spreading of capsaicin to other areas in your mouth. You might be surprised to learn that diary products, such as milk and ice cream, are some of the best remedies against the chili burns because products, such as milk can coat the receptors on your tongue, shielding them from more capsaicin exposure. So now that you have your chemistry, use it wisely and save yourself from the agony caused by a little chemical called capsaicin.