Tag: Milk for spicy food

Over 75% of restaurants worldwide include at least one spicy dish on their menu, but what happens when the heat is too much to handle? The burning sensation is caused by an oily compound called capsaicin, which binds to pain receptors in your mouth, sending a "hot" signal to your brain. Fortunately, several common household items can offer immediate relief.

According to food scientists, drinking water can make the burn from spicy food worse by spreading the oily capsaicin compound around your mouth. So, what is the best thing to drink when you eat something hot to find quick relief? The answer lies in understanding the chemical properties of capsaicin and choosing a beverage that actively counteracts it.

According to research from the Cleveland Clinic, a protein found in milk, called casein, can effectively break down capsaicin, the compound that causes the burn. This scientific understanding is key to learning how to counteract spicy food and providing quick, targeted relief from the searing sensation.