Are you the kind of a person who likes his/her food spicy hot? Do you always find yourself looking for jalapenos to add to your hot dog or habanero peppers to every taco you have? 

If you are, you then understand the effects of capsaicin in your mouth. Depending on the type of pepper, the intense burning sensation can last for minutes or even hours, forcing you to look for cold water to sip.

Sipping water only calms your nerves for a few seconds only for the full intensity of the capsaicin to return with a vengeance. Water isn't recommended when trying to cool off the hot intensity of the chilly peppers and spicy food. Find out more about how to enjoy spicy food at Marigold Maison.

Some of the best remedies for spicy foods and pepper are discussed below.

1. A glass of milk

Communities that prefer spicy foods have always served milk alongside their dishes. Sipping plain milk provides almost instant relief from the burning sensation. For thousands of years,

South and Central Americans have been using milk as an antidote for extremely spicy foods. Research by the American Chemical Society shows that milk contains casein, a compound known to breakdown the bonds of capsaicin.

This helps provide fast and lasting relief for spicy foods. If looking to enjoy Mexican or Indian cuisine, make sure to order a glass of milk just in case.

2. Alcohol

Alcohol might also help reduce the burning effect of having a spicy meal.  Although alcohol might help reduce the burn, it cannot be used to dissolve capsaicin from your tongue permanently. 

Studies on the effects of alcohol on spicy foods show that, although alcohol provides a soothing sensation, it doesn’t take long before the sensation creeps back. In addition to this, you might have to drink 10 ounces of 70% tequila just to dissolve 1 ounce of capsaicin. This is too much alcohol to relieve the burning sensation in the first place.

3. A Teaspoon of Sugar

Sugar can help neutralize the heat produced by capsaicin. Honey and granular sugar are the most commonly used remedies for spicy foods and especially if one had hot chilli peppers.

The amount of sugar or honey you have to take depends on the heat produced by the peppers.  Sugar works by dissolving the aromatic oil off your tongue, providing relief. You might, however, feel a different taste when you use sugar to dissolve the heat. The taste is however negligible considering it will have neutralized the heat and burning sensation.

4. Milk Chocolate

Milk chocolate is another excellent home remedy for hot spices. This type of chocolate has a higher fat content and contains casein, which also comes in handy in breaking down capsaicin.

If you prefer having spicy foods but cannot handle the heat, you might then want to walk around with a bar or two of milk chocolate. Taking a bite on the bar will help reduce the tingling burning sensation reducing is severity significantly.

Milk chocolate is more effective in removing capsaicin from your mouth/tongue when compared to water-based remedies.  The United States Department of Agriculture recommends milk chocolate for treating capsaicin heat too. 

5. A Slice Of Bread

Most restaurants and homes serve dinner with a basket of bread ready. This is a common practice in homes/regions where spicy food is preferred. Having a slice of bread helps soak the oily capsaicin up, reducing its effect significantly.

If bread isn't within your reach, you can then use rice for the same purpose. Rice works by soaking up the spicy oil compound from your mouth providing faster relief. Rice isn't however as effective as bread when dealing with a spicy meal.

If you prefer spicy foods or want to try some, you should then have either of the remedies outlined above close by. These remedies will help cool the burning effect of capsaicin much faster than water, and when you desperately need it.