Capsaicin is made by only one group of plants, the chili peppers, so the foods that contain it are chilies and everything cooked or seasoned with them. Plenty of other foods feel hot without containing any, because their own burning compounds trip the same heat sensor in your mouth.1PubMed Central. Structural mechanisms underlying activation of TRPV1 channels by pungent compounds in gingers
The Foods That Actually Contain Capsaicin
Chilies make a small family of related burning compounds, and capsaicin and a close relative are the two main ones.2International Journal of Food Properties. Capsaicinoid Contents in Peppers and Pepper-Related Spicy Foods Together they supply about 90% of a chili’s heat. The mix varies by pepper type, but every hot chili carries both.3PubMed Central. Capsaicinoid Profiles, Phenolic Content, and Antioxidant Properties of Chili Peppers Grown in Urban Settings
Those compounds show up in many foods:
- Fresh and dried chilies: jalapeño, serrano, cayenne, habanero and Thai chilies.
- Ground and flaked chili: ground red pepper, chili powder, hot paprika and red pepper flakes.
- Hot sauces: from Tabasco-style sauces to sweet chili sauce, which carries far less.
- Chili pastes: Korean gochujang, harissa and sambal.
- Prepared foods: kimchi, spicy instant noodles and many convenience foods seasoned with chili powder.
- Drinks and flavored foods: the food industry is the biggest user of chilies as a flavoring.
Labels are where hidden capsaicin shows up. Look for “capsicum,” “chili extract,” “paprika extract” or “red pepper” in the ingredients. A bare “spices” can hide chili powder, and oleoresin capsicum, a concentrated chili extract you may see on labels, turns up in some snacks.
Amounts vary widely because a sauce’s heat depends on which chili went in and how much. Dried products concentrate capsaicin since the water is gone, and the same brand can differ from batch to batch with the crop. When swapping dried for fresh, use a much smaller amount and add more as you taste.
Paprika is the classic surprise. It is made from dried peppers, but many types are bred to be sweet or mild, so the jar in your pantry may carry little capsaicin while a “hot paprika” carries noticeably more. If you avoid capsaicin, treat any red seasoning blend as possibly chili-containing until the ingredient list says otherwise.
Restaurant food is trickier still. Taco seasoning, curry powders, jerk rubs, buffalo wing sauce and many barbecue rubs are built on chili, so dishes that don’t taste fiery can still contain some. Thai, Sichuan, Mexican, Indian and Korean cooking use chilies well beyond the obviously hot dishes, in soups, marinades and dipping sauces. If you need to avoid capsaicin, ask what’s in the sauce or spice blend.
Which Peppers Have the Most Capsaicin
Species sets the heat range. Habanero-type and Scotch bonnet peppers and their crosses carry 3.5 to 5 times more capsaicinoids than common peppers like jalapeños and ajà types.4PubMed Central. Influence of intra and inter species variation in chilies (Capsicum spp.) on metabolite composition of three fruit segments Among tested peppers the Carolina Reaper ranked highest, about 23 times the mildest hot chili measured.5PubMed Central. Influence of intra and inter species variation in chilies (Capsicum spp.) on metabolite composition of three fruit segments In Mexican peppers, the small wild chiltepÃn beat jalapeño, de árbol, serrano, ancho and guajillo.6PubMed Central. Characterization of Different Capsicum Varieties by Evaluation of Their Capsaicinoids Content by High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Determination of Pungency and Effect of High Temperature Tiny chilies are often hotter than big ones.
Heat depends on a variety’s genetics and how much capsaicin its inner tissue produces. A big pepper has a lot of mild flesh diluting the capsaicin, while a tiny chili has a larger share of ribs. Size is only a hint, since some small peppers are quite mild.
Bell peppers are the exception. Those grown in open fields had no measurable capsaicinoids.7PubMed Central. Characterization of Different Capsicum Varieties by Evaluation of Their Capsaicinoids Content by High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Determination of Pungency and Effect of High Temperature A single gene switches capsaicin production on, and sweet peppers lack a working version.
Seed packets and menus rate heat in Scoville heat units, a number reflecting how much capsaicin a pepper holds.8PubMed Central. Determination of Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin in Capsicum Fruit Samples using High Performance Liquid Chromatography Bell peppers score 0, jalapeños about 2,500 to 8,000 and habaneros around 100,000 to 350,000. The original Scoville test relied on human tasters diluting a pepper extract until the burn disappeared, so the number reflected how much dilution was needed. A pepper’s listed range is a typical span, not a guarantee for the one in your hand.
Two peppers of the same kind can still differ. Growing weather and plant stress change heat from plant to plant, and harvest time affects levels. Drying method matters too: measured capsaicin in dried peppers ranged from 0.5% to 4.2%.9Industrial Crops and Products. Variation in capsaicin contents of different Capsicum species and lines by varying drying parameters
To match peppers to your tolerance, start with poblano or ancho for mild flavor, then move to jalapeño and serrano for medium heat. Handle habanero and the superhots with gloves. Taste a tiny piece before adding a whole pepper.
Sweet Peppers With Capsaicin’s Cousins
The CH-19 Sweet pepper makes three non-burning relatives of capsaicin called capsinoids.10PubMed. Assessment of the biological similarity of three capsaicin analogs (Capsinoids) found in non-pungent chili pepper (CH-19 Sweet) fruits They act on the body much like capsaicin, without the burn.11HortScience. New Capsicum annuum pepper contains high concentrations of beneficial capsinoids They were first found in a sweet pepper and are now bred into other sweet varieties.12HortScience. New Capsicum annuum pepper contains high concentrations of beneficial capsinoids
They resemble capsaicin in structure, but are much less able to irritate nerve endings in the mouth. They are also broken down quickly in the digestive tract.
For people who can’t handle heat, they are sold mainly as supplements. Ordinary grocery bell peppers don’t contain meaningful amounts.
Where the Heat Hides in a Pepper
Special cells in the pale tissue that holds the seeds make and store capsaicin.13Hatch Chile Store. Where Is the Heat in a Chile Pepper? Seeds vs. Ribs It is produced in the inner walls dividing the pepper’s chambers.14Wikipedia. Capsaicin Seeds taste hot mainly because they touch that tissue.
Cut a chili lengthwise and you’ll see a pale, spongy strip down the center where the seeds attach. The thin walls dividing the chambers are the ribs.
Shaking out the seeds often leaves a pepper just as hot, because the ribs still hold most of the capsaicin. To tame a pepper, slice it open and scrape out the white tissue with the seeds, using a small spoon or the tip of a knife. The flesh keeps its flavor with much less burn. Wear gloves and keep your hands away from your eyes. If you want maximum heat, leave the ribs in.
Spicy Foods Without Capsaicin
Capsaicin burns by switching on a heat sensor in nerve endings that normally warns of scalding temperatures.15PubMed. Euphorbium: modern research on its active principle, resiniferatoxin, revives an ancient medicine Any compound that fits that sensor feels hot, even with no heat present. Capsaicin binds tightly and lingers; compounds that bind more weakly feel sharper but briefer.
Black pepper’s bite comes from piperine, not capsaicin.16Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. Activation of TRPV1 and TRPA1 by Black Pepper Components Piperine feels 10 to 100 times less pungent than capsaicin.17PubMed Central. A distinct structural mechanism underlies TRPV1 activation by piperine It also fades faster on repeated bites because the sensor tunes it out more quickly.18PubMed Central. Effects of piperine, the pungent component of black pepper, at the human vanilloid receptor (TRPV1)
Ginger’s gingerol, shogaol and zingerone lock onto the same spot on the sensor as capsaicin.19PubMed Central. Structural mechanisms underlying activation of TRPV1 channels by pungent compounds in gingers Grains of paradise, a West African spice, owe their heat to similar compounds including paradol.20PubMed. Identification of vanilloid compounds in grains of paradise and their effects on sympathetic nerve activity Shogaol builds up as ginger is dried or cooked, which is why cooked ginger tastes hotter than fresh. Mustard, horseradish and wasabi burn through a different sensor, which is why their heat rushes up the nose. If a recipe calls for hot chilies, black pepper works as a seasoning but not as a heat substitute.
Does Cooking Change Capsaicin
Typical home cooking breaks down less than 30% of a dish’s capsaicin.21Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science. Thermal Degradation of Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin during Cooking Very high temperatures break down more of it.22LWT. Effects of cooking methods and temperatures on quality and safety of dried red peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) Chilies simmered in water hold their heat longer than dry chili powder exposed to heat.23Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science. Thermal Degradation of Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin during Cooking Grilling can even raise measured capsaicin by bursting cells and releasing it.24PubMed Central. Cooking effect on bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)
So you can’t cook the heat out by simmering longer. If a dish is too hot, dilute it with more base ingredients, or add fat or dairy to soften the burn.
Capsaicin dissolves in fat and alcohol, not water. That’s why chili oil carries heat throughout a dish, and why washing your hands with water alone leaves it behind. Use oil or soap first.
How to Calm a Capsaicin Burn
Cold milk helps because its casein proteins grab capsaicin and wash it away.25Wikipedia. Capsaicin Capsaicin doesn’t dissolve in water, so water mostly spreads it around. Alcohol does dissolve capsaicin and can clean cutting boards and knives.26Wikipedia. Capsaicin
Take a mouthful of cold milk and hold it briefly before swallowing, since contact time helps the casein bind. Full-fat dairy adds an advantage because fat can also dissolve some capsaicin. Relief usually comes within a minute or so, though the burn can creep back a little as remaining capsaicin releases from the nerve endings.
At the table, yogurt, sour cream and ice cream work like milk. Bread or rice can physically soak up some oil, and sugar may distract from the burn. For skin burns from handling chilies, apply oil first, then wash with soap.
Can You Build a Tolerance to Spicy Food
People who eat spicy food often tend to find capsaicin less intense.27Food Quality and Preference. Frequent spicy food consumption is associated with reduced capsaicin and salty taste sensitivity but unchanged sour taste or intranasal trigeminal sensitivity Frequent spicy-food eaters rated spicy kimchi milder than sensitive eaters did.28PubMed Central. Spicy or Not? Exploring Kimchi’s Spiciness Perception Across Spicy Food Tolerant and Sensitive Groups Yet in one group, heavy chili eaters felt the same burn as others, suggesting liking can matter more than numbness.29PubMed Central. Personality factors predict spicy food liking and intake Regular exposure may make nerve endings less responsive to capsaicin, but enjoying the burn may also change how people rate it.
To build up gradually, step up one heat level at a time and eat chilies with food rather than alone. Tolerance fades after a break from spicy food.
Does Capsaicin Help You Burn Calories
Capsaicin and capsinoids raise resting calorie burn by about 34 calories a day on average.30PubMed. The effect of Capsaicinoids or Capsinoids in red pepper on thermogenesis in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis They also nudge the body to burn more fat.31PubMed. The effect of Capsaicinoids or Capsinoids in red pepper on thermogenesis in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis When people eat less, capsaicin can help prevent the usual drop in calorie burn.32PubMed Central. Acute Effects of Capsaicin on Energy Expenditure and Fat Oxidation in Negative Energy Balance Effects were larger with capsules taken for longer than with food.33PubMed. The effect of Capsaicinoids or Capsinoids in red pepper on thermogenesis in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis Capsaicin works by activating the mouth’s heat sensor, which triggers the body’s stress-response system and slightly increases heat production and energy use.
Thirty-four calories is about a few bites of bread. It won’t offset an extra snack, though it may help slightly alongside eating less. Supplements aren’t a shortcut and can upset the stomach.