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

Capsaicin is the active ingredient in chillis that create the spicy sensation on your tongue. It doesn’t easily mix with water so it’s very hard to wash off.

Milk contains another chemical called casein that binds with capsaicin and helps wash it off your tongue.