Some of us may derive a little pleasure from pain, especially when it comes to what we eat.
After all, chillies are a staple in Malaysian cuisine.
While many adults can handle their spice fine on their own, children may be a little more sensitive to those red-hot delicacies we know and love so much.
But, of course, tasting your first spicy dish is a rite of passage for every Malaysian; a trial by fire, figuratively speaking.
So, if your child has expressed a desire for the fire, it’s important to prepare some flame extinguishers, just in case they bite off more than they can chew.
But before we get into the tips, here’s what you need to know about why spicy food is so hot.
Why Spicy Foods Are So Hot
Unlike the five senses we learned about as early on as kindergarten, ‘spiciness’ is not part of the five flavours that is detected by our taste buds.
We can taste sweet, sour, bitter, salty and ‘umami’, but not spicy.
Instead, the heat we feel when we eat chilli, wasabi, pepper, etc. is a form of chemical irritation caused by a substance called ‘capsaicin’.
This is the thing that makes chillies so spicy because they’re chockful of capsaicin, especially in their seeds and in their little white inner membranes.
When our bodies are exposed to capsaicin, our nerves endings detect it as a threat and send out a warning. Which causes certain receptors to flare up.
It’s also the reason why we can often feel spiciness in our hands (when we handle spicy food). A sort of tingling sensation.
Natural capsaicin released when we use certain plants in our food is rarely dangerous.
But when it comes to underage children, it pays to be a bit more vigilant.
If your child is ready to handle some heat, keep reading.
How to Help Beat the Burn
Dairy
According to this 2019 study, the most effective beverages to counteract the effects of capsaicin are whole milk and skim milk.
Scientists have attributed this heat-dousing effect to dairy’s protein content, casein, which can bind to capsaicin molecules.
This renders the fiery chemical impotent, ensuring that it doesn’t spread or linger on your tongue longer and causing you even more pain.
Some proponents of the dairy method also swear by sour cream, which is said to be particularly effective against combating the burn from spicy foods.
Sugar
Your kids will probably enjoy this but sugar is also another effective method against spiciness.
Not as effective as dairy, but still effective enough to help alleviate some of the heat.
The 2019 study also found that Kool-Aid had the most promising scores when tested against capsaicin exposure.
Apparently using sugar to alleviate pain isn’t new.
While we may often indulge in sweet things as comfort food (because existing can be painful), sugar is also used to help dull physical pain.
This is what’s called sucrose analgesia.
So, combining what we learned from the last point, something sweet and dairy-rich like milkshake or ice-cream will definitely help soothe the burn.
Just be careful not to overdo it on the sugar.
Acid
Capsaicin is an oil-based chemical with alkaline properties, so some people have found that acidic foods and drinks really help with diluting the burn.
A glass of orange juice, lemonade or any other sour beverages may just be the remedy you need when trying to counteract spicy foods.
This tip may not be as effective as the previous two, but it’s worth a try, especially when used in conjunction.
So, something sweet, dairy-rich and acidic like lassi, a sweet yoghurt-based drink, may actually do the trick.
Ice
Ice (not cold water) is the last resort when it comes to immediately soothing the burn of spicy food.
While the previous tips help neutralise any lingering traces of capsaicin in your mouth, its aftereffects are a lot harder to counteract.
Your nerve endings will continue firing alarm signals because the chemical has triggered a sort of biological chain reaction.
There’s a chance your tongue will sting for a few more minutes even after you’ve administered any remedy.
So, a quick way to stop or a least slow down the burn, is to chew or suck on an ice-cube.
Soothing the Burn
Being Malaysian and enjoying spicy food is at times inseparable. No matter how hot or mild you like your food.
We all need a little bit of heat in our lives.
And as your kids grow and learn to understand their own limitations, they too will find just the right amount of spiciness they can handle. Even if they’re notorious picky eaters.
But in general, if you are preparing something with chillies, it’s important to keep your kids in mind.
Spicy foods are notorious for causing diarrhea and other stomach issues like acid reflux.
So, even if your kids have begun to enjoy their fiery foods, you should always use spices in moderation.
And if needed, do use these tips the next time your kids try their hand at some spicy foods.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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