capsaicin

Everyday

Capsaicin is the natural chemical in chilli peppers that makes them taste hot and makes your mouth feel like it is burning. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons about taste and the body, capsaicin tricks the nerves that sense heat, so your mouth feels hot even though nothing is really burning. Milk helps more than water to calm the burn. In medicine, capsaicin is used in some creams for aches. The «heat» of chillies is measured on the Scoville scale.

Examples

• Capsaicin makes chillies taste hot. tree →
• The hottest chillies have the most capsaicin. tree →
• Drinking milk helps wash away capsaicin. tree →
• Capsaicin is mostly in the white parts and seeds of a chilli. tree →
• Birds cannot taste capsaicin, so they eat chilli seeds. tree →
• Wash your hands after cutting chillies, because capsaicin stings your eyes. tree →
• Some pain creams contain capsaicin. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Pronounced «kap-SAY-sin». Myth: water makes the burn go away — it does not help much, because capsaicin does not mix with water; milk or yoghurt works better.