Introduction
Spicy foods. Either you love or hate them. But no matter which side you are on, that burning sensation is not stopping as flames dance around your mouth. But what causes those flames to happen? Why are jalepeños more spicy than bell peppers? The answer is simple. Capsaicin.
In nature, Capsaicin is supposed to work as a deterrent; however, it seems as though we didn’t get that message. As a result, when you eat something spicy, that molecule triggers heat receptors in your mouth, tricking your brain into thinking you need to cool down. This is also the reason why places with warmer climates tend to eat chilis: they help you cool down. Of course, there are still differences between something not spicy (a bell pepper) and something very spicy (a habanero pepper), so what gives?
Well, each type of pepper has a different concentration of capsaicinoids. These different concentration levels are then measured on a scale called “Scoville Heat Units” or SHUs. These measurements make up the crazy high numbers you see when something is listed as extremely hot. So, let’s dive into some products that you can buy (even though I’m not sure why you would) that are terribly spicy.
Lil’ Nitro: World’s Hottest Gummy Bear
This bite-sized gummy bear can really pack a punch! Its SHU is 9,000,000 (900X a jalepeño). Speaking from experience, eating this is not a good idea. No amount of milk can save you from this (though boba is still appreciated in dire times like these).
The “Blair’s 16 Million Reserve” Wings
Wings. One of the most competitive foods for the most spicy. Many restaurants claim to have the spiciest, but these might just be it. So hot, they won a world record. So hot that the sauce is called an extract. It sits at 16,000,000 SHU, a mind-boggling number. This is the type of food you can try once and then never again (trying to keep it PG, so I’ll let you come up with why). Only 999 bottles of the sauce were ever produced (again, I’ll let you decide why).
Pepper X
The infamous pepper. Only purchased for when you lose a dare (or a challenge with the internet). Sitting at 3,180,000 SHU, it is lower than the gummy bear, but it may as well be worse. The skin is wrinkled and it is advised that you don’t even touch it with your bare hands. This pepper was created by Ed Currie and is used in sauces like “The Last Dab” (the final sauce in the show Hot Ones).
Hellfire Ramen
Several restaurants around the world have developed incredibly spicy ramen dishes, such as the “Hellfire Ramen.” These dishes often incorporate ghost peppers, Carolina Reapers, and other extreme chilies to create a broth so hot that diners are often required to sign a waiver before eating. Better hope for some luck!
Paqui’s One Chip Challenge
This challenge involves eating a single tortilla chip seasoned with Carolina Reaper and Scorpion Pepper. Although this chip does not have a specific Scoville number, it is made from two of the spiciest peppers in the world (1.7 million Scoville units 1.4 million Scoville units respectively). And, of course, this chip went viral on the internet for its intense heat. Beware!
Cornferno
Cornferno is a popcorn that claims to be the world’s hottest popcorn, made with a blend of peppers that includes Carolina Reaper, cayenne, ghost, habanero, and chile peppers. Although there is no confirmed “spiciest,” this is about as spicy as you can get for a movie night snack.
Final Thoughts
Stay cool out there, and maybe pick up some bell peppers on the way home. I hear they are crazy spicy.
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