The Best Way to Cool Your Mouth after Eating Spicy Foods (2024)

FAQs

The Best Way to Cool Your Mouth after Eating Spicy Foods? ›

Eat something starchy: Bread, rice, or crackers can help absorb the heat and provide a soothing effect. Drink plenty of water: Drinking water can help wash away the spicy oils and provide some relief. Try a spoonful of honey: Honey has a cooling effect and can help soothe your mouth.

What helps settle your stomach after eating spicy food? Ice cream, milk, cottage cheese, and bread or another starchy food might help settle your stomach after eating spicy food. 4 A small amount of peppermint oil may help reduce inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

Adding something sweet to a too-spicy dish is another great way to reduce spiciness. A sprinkle of sugar or honey should do the trick. Or add a touch of sweet ketchup. If it's a tomato-based sauce, stir in a little more tomato sauce and maybe a touch of sugar.

Sip a cold drink, or suck on ice chips and popsicles if it reduces the burning and feels soothing. Take care that your tongue doesn't stick to the ice. Coat your tongue with milk. Many people who enjoy spicy foods use milk to reduce the heat.

Your teeth, yes, but also your cheeks, gums and tongue. The formulation of toothpaste is known to relieve chilli burns as it breaks up the oils.

Capsaicin is the chemical compound that makes your mouth feel like it's on fire after eating spicy food. Milk and other dairy products contain the protein casein, which helps break down the capsaicin. That means dairy products will probably help you the most. Especially when it's cold milk or ice cream.

Don't drink water: As we discussed earlier, water can actually make the burning sensation worse. Stick to the other drink options we mentioned, like milk, something acidic, or something sweet. Take breaks: If the heat becomes too intense, take a break and let your mouth and throat cool down before continuing.

What's the Best Spice Neutralizer? As a hydrophobic, fat-soluble compound, capsaicin makes food spicy and dissolves in fat and oil, not water. That's why milk is a well-known option for counteracting spice, but peanut butter is another staple that can be just as effective.

A squeeze of lemon or lime juice or a little vinegar can help cut through spiciness. Acidic foods tone down the spiciness in foods and can add some flavor, making this a good trick for seafood dishes or creamy soups and chowders.

Enjoy every bite by pairing your spicy dish with a refreshing glass of milk. Milk helps your mouth handle an oily chemical compound in chili peppers called capsaicin that causes the well-known burning sensation from consuming spicy foods. This relief is thanks to casein, a protein found in cow's milk.

What is the best drink for spicy food? ›

This means that drinking or eating something acidic can give you some temporary relief from the burning sensations. Things such as lemonade or orange juice are great options. You can also try a tomato-based item. And if you're a milk lover, you'll be happy to know that milk is also acidic!

Rood says, “but only milk and Kool-aid outperformed plain water.” Milk contains a protein called casein, which can break down capsaicin — much in the same way that dish soap can cut through grease.

Just like when you use too much salt or too much sugar, there's no way to actually cancel out the spiciness. This is why the adage "taste as you go" are words to live by—or at least cook by.

While the water in ice won't do squat, the cold will at least numb some of the pain, says Gulgas. Bread is better. It absorbs liquid in your mouth, which can help pull the capsaicin molecules out of the receptors in your taste buds. However, your best bet by far is chasing spicy foods with dairy, Gulgas says.

Don't drink water: As we discussed earlier, water can actually make the burning sensation worse. Stick to the other drink options we mentioned, like milk, something acidic, or something sweet. Take breaks: If the heat becomes too intense, take a break and let your mouth and throat cool down before continuing.

This is because water does not help cool spicy sensations. On the contrary, it can actually make things much worse. Water tends to spread capsaicin — the chemical that makes foods like chilis spicy — all around your mouth.

Water will not counterbalance the effect of the spicy food but actually spread the molecules in your mouth and make it more painful. Capsaicin is soluble which simply means it will dissolve in other oils like those found in milk products and fatty foods.