It depends on the pepper and it depends on the person. For most people, capsaicin, the active compound that gives chilli peppers their taste and heat, is harmless at the levels we typically consume. Some studies even suggest it improves our health.
At higher concentrations, however, capsaicin is devilish: it causes heartburn and swelling in the stomach, and complicates pre-existing conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. It can also be poisonous to children. In 2023, a 14-year-old American boy with underlying heart conditions died after eating a spicy tortilla chip as part of a social media challenge.
It’s hard to say what a dangerous dose is, but we’re not talking about Tabasco here. The world’s hottest chilli peppers have higher Scoville Heat Units than military-grade pepper spray and can easily be 100 times hotter than the sauces we spice up our dinners with.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Dan Knapton, via email) 'How spicy is too spicy?'
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