Why doesn't drinking water ease the strong burning sensation caused by eating hot peppers?

neelie_447

It actually opens up the taste buds, creating a stronger burning sensation. "Water should not be used to relieve the burning as water opens the taste buds." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_sauce Dec 20 08, 6:03 PM

Boycie75

Capsaicin, the active component of chili peppers is not water-soluble, so water and most other liquids will only dull the pain by cooling the area, but will not have any lasting effect. The burning sensation will slowly fade away if no actions are taken. Dairy products are one of the most effective forms of relief. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsaicin Dec 20 08, 6:10 PM

edmund80

Since capsaicin has a long hydrocarbon tail which makes it less soluble in water, rinsing the mouth with water will only redistribute the burning sensation. However, with enough water flushing enough of the compound may be washed away to lessen the burning sensation. The most effective way is to rinse with milk. It contains casein, a lipophilic (fat loving) protein, that will surround the capsaicin molecule, thus lessening the burn. http://www.answers.com/topic/capsaicin http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/features/capsaicin.shtml In the experiment below, a sugar solution was found to be equally effective in reducing the burning sensation of capsaicin. Also, the colder the liquid the better the relief provided. The fat content of the milk used did not significantly alter the relief provided. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T0P-482RBVK-BN&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a17da1cc155fcf8a00a1e3810dcff664 Dec 20 08, 9:59 PM