How To Eat Spicier Food (And Enjoy It!)
Many spicy foods are undoubtedly delicious. But, for some, eating them can be quite a challenge. So, what can you do? Instead of avoiding spicy food altogether and never experiencing the amazing benefits that come with some of them, you can follow this short guide on how to eat spicy foods in an enjoyable way, without turning red, sweaty, or teary.
Start with small portions
The truth is, many people who seem to have a high tolerance for spicy/hot food have probably been eating them since they were young. If you were born into a culture where hot cuisine is not common, you’ll do well to start small if you want to build tolerance.
As you work your way up, you’ll start developing resistance to the effect of capsaicin, the compound that produces the heat or hot sensation when spicy foods are consumed.
The science is that Capsaicin activates a receptor (TRPV) that is responsible for sensing heat. The receptor sends a message to the brain, that in turn, sends it back as a burning sensation. Eating small portions of spicy meals will, over time, weaken the response of the receptors, thereby increasing your ability to tolerate the burning sensation.
Don’t rush spicy meals
In case you are a fast eater, you will have to cool your jets when you are up against foods containing hot pepper. The idea here is to prevent large quantities of capsaicin from overwhelming the receptors in your mouth.
As you reduce the frequency of loading your buccal cavity, your mouth has time to recover from the effect of the capsaicin before receiving another round. Because you probably won’t have a timer to guide the frequency of loading food in your mouth, it can be a case of trial and error. The thumb rule is, let the tongue recover from the burning sensation before having another go.
Cold or lukewarm food is easier to manage
If your tolerance for spicy foods is next to zero, taking cold spicy food can be a good approach to building tolerance. I totally understand that many foods are best enjoyed when hot, but trust me – high temperature and chilli is not a mix you want to jump at, especially when you are not used to it. There are cold fast foods that come with a little sprinkle of hot sauce. You can try one of those without trading off the enjoyment. Later, you can opt for relatively hotter spicy meals.
A coolant can help
Water? Don’t go there. Not that it will make the burning sensation worse, but water literally has no effect. Milk or other dairy products (like yoghurt) are excellent coolants that could help reduce the burning sensation of foods with hot pepper. Dairy has a way of temporarily bonding with the receptor in your mouth, thereby, reducing the signals sent to the brain. With alcohol, the higher the percentage of alcohol, the more the burning/hot effect is reduced.
If you experiment with the tips in this guide and still struggle to manage spice, don’t worry. You can still incorporate them into your lifestyle without the fiery consequences! For example, turmeric tablets can be taken daily to support healthy digestion, without the spicy after effects.
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