what is it in milk that stops your mouth burning from spicy foods?

Question

Drinking milk after eating chilli or curry etc makes your mouth hurt less. But why? And are there any dairy free alternatives that do the same?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

It’s the fat in milk that dissolves the capsicum. Capsicum and hot spiciness is oil-soluble, not water soluble. Olive oil would do the same, it just doesn’t taste as good as taking a drink of milk.