• Question: Why are some peppers spicy 🌶?

    Asked by 4L3X to Yvonne, Yannis, Gonzalo, Golnaz, Elaine, Ciara on 8 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Ciara O'Donovan

      Ciara O'Donovan answered on 8 Nov 2017:


      Peppers are spicy due to a compound called capsaicin which is made by the peppers. Some peppers (such as the ghost pepper) have really high levels of these compounds making them very spicy.

    • Photo: Ioannis Zabetakis

      Ioannis Zabetakis answered on 8 Nov 2017:


      Capsaicin is the key here,
      there is a “hotness” scale
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale

      have a look at
      Scoville heat units Name of pepper(s)

    • Photo: Gonzalo Delgado-Pando

      Gonzalo Delgado-Pando answered on 8 Nov 2017:


      My colleagues are right, capsaicin is the answer. This substance dissolves well in fatty things this is why if you eat something too spicy you can drink milk after to dissolve it and not feeling the spiciness so much

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