HOT, HOT, HOT! The Best Ways to Cool Your Mouth After Eating Something Spicy
When you pop something spicy into your mouth, it’s always good to have a cool beverage nearby. You never know when you’re going to need to put out a fire. But when your mouth feels like it’s going up in flames, some methods of cooling are better than others. Let’s get this out of the way first: Water and soda are two of the worst ways to cool off your mouth after eating something spicy. Water, soda, and even fruit juice will simply spread the heat around, meaning that fiery sensation will only last longer. To combat the heat, it’s important to understand where that sensation comes from. Many spicy sauces and dishes get their heat from capsaicinoids, or specifically, capsaicin, an oily compound that loves to stick to your tongue. It’s important to note that capsaicin is not water-soluble. Chili peppers are a primary source of capsaicin. Other foods, such as mustard, radish, horseradish, and wasabi, get their heat from a compound called allyl isothiocyanate. This compound does not usually stick around as long as capsaicin.
The best compound? Fat. Whole milk will help, but here are some even better alternatives:
• Half-and-half • Yogurt • Kefir • Sour cream • Ice cream
And for those who are lactose intolerant or vegan, soy milk and peanut butter can help too. The higher the fat content, the better!
What about those other foods, like mustard and wasabi? Unlike capsaicin, allyl isothiocyanate is partially water-soluble. This means water and soda will help cool you down — but you still can’t beat dairy.
So, what can you do to beat the heat?
The next time you eat a habanero pepper or put too much hot sauce on your eggs, having a glass of half- and-half on standby can be a lifesaver. It may sound a little weird, but your mouth will thank you.
For heat brought on by chili peppers, you want a beverage that contains compounds capable of binding with the oiliness of capsaicin.
THE 4 KEYS TO INDOOR AIR QUALITY
2. Clean your air ducts. Regular inspection and cleaning of your ductwork is incredibly important to avoid problems like mold and dust buildup down the road. It’s a good idea to get a professional involved for this. 3. Get some fresh air flowing through. The air inside your home can become as much as five times more polluted than the air outside. Open your windows when it’s cool in the morning, and if the problem persists, consider installing mechanical whole-house ventilators to improve airflow. 4. Dust and vacuum often. If dust and other contaminants are removed from your home, it’ll be difficult for them to pollute your air. Keep it clean to prevent them from becoming part of the air you breathe. Follow these steps, get a little routine maintenance every now and then, and you’ll be breathing easy, confident that there’s nothing invisible messing up your lungs and body.
With the brutal heat of summer, many of us keep our windows shut tight and the AC cranked up all season long. This is great for comfort, but if you’ve noticed the air getting a little stuffy, you may be dealing with poor air quality brought on by an iffy HVAC system.
At Aire Serv, we’re committed to helping our customers understand their home’s air quality, an often-overlooked yet crucial part of day-to-day health. Poor air quality can cause all kinds of illnesses and diseases, including cancer, heart disease, chronic headaches, fatigue, respiratory problems, allergies, and red eyes.
To ensure that the air within your building is clean and healthy to breathe, it’s important to follow the following steps: 1. Change the air filters regularly. This is vital not only to keep your air clean, but to keep your HVAC system running in peak condition. Box filters should be changed once per year, while regular filters require replacement every two or three months.
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