I’m a capsaicin addict…..
If you enjoy spicy food as much as I do, then you’re probably addicted to capsaicin too.
Capsaicin is the chemical compound that gives peppers that burning sensation when you eat them, and stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, especially the mucous membranes.
If you didn’t already know; there is a scale that tells you how much capsaicin is in any type of pepper called the “Scoville scale“. It’s named after Wilbur Scoville, and you don’t need the boring details, but basically the higher the number the more it burns.
The table below (that I borrowed from Wikipedia) outlines the Scoville heat rating of some common peppers:
| Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) | Type of pepper |
|---|---|
| 855,000–1,050,000 | Bhut Jolokia |
| 350,000–580,000 | Red Savina Habanero |
| 100,000–350,000 | Habanero chile Scotch Bonnet Pepper Datil pepper Rocoto Jamaican Hot Pepper African Birdseye Madame Jeanette |
| 50,000–100,000 | Thai Pepper Malagueta Pepper Chiltepin Pepper Pequin Pepper |
| 30,000–50,000 | Cayenne Pepper Ají pepper Tabasco pepper Hot Chipotle peppers |
| 10,000–23,000 | Serrano Pepper Mild Chipotle peppers |
| 2,500–10,000 | Jalapeño Pepper Guajillo pepper New Mexican varieties of Anaheim pepper Paprika (hungarian wax pepper) |
| 500–2,500 | Anaheim pepper Poblano Pepper Rocotillo Pepper |
| 100–500 | Pimento Pepperoncini |
| 0 | No heat Bell pepper |
I’ve tried quite a few (but not all) of these peppers, and you better believe I’m going to eat every single one of those peppers as soon as I can get my hands on them (even the dreaded Bhut Jolokia).
Stay tuned and make sure to EAT MORE HEAT!SM
