Chili tasters, how do some chillies, give a quick heat that dissipates, and some a lingering heat, and so many different effects despite having the same capsaicin?

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I’m not spice tolerant and everything seems the same heat to me.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

I’m not a big chili eater, but I’ve found that when I do enjoy spicy food, I like the heat to stay in my mouth and not go down my throat. Capsaicin is an oily chemical, so it dissolves well into oils and fats, but not water. I enjoy the watery dishes the most, because the capsaicin tends to only attach to my mouth. In oily dishes, it goes into the fat which coats both my mouth and throat.

Some fatty dairy seems to have a mellowing effect though. I especially enjoy sambal oelek mixed with creme fraiche, it takes the edge off the chili while retaining, possibly even enhancing, the other vegetable-y tones of the spice.