If your mouth feels like it’s on fire when you eat hot sauce or spicy peppers, then you’re experiencing the instant effects of capsaicin.
This chemical compound is naturally found in chile peppers, such as jalapenos, habaneros, and shishito peppers. If it’s a hot pepper or any food made from them, like hot sauce, it’s got capsaicin.
The capsaicin content in foods is measured with the Scoville scale using Scoville heat units (SHU). Pure capsaicin has 16 million SHU.
Most peppers have much lower SHUs, though, usually between 1,000 and 1 million SHU. The higher a pepper’s SHU, the hotter it is and the more capsaicin it contains.
So, is capsaicin in all peppers? Definitely not. For example, bell peppers measure at zero SHU, meaning they don’t have any capsaicin and are inherently not spicy.
Besides adding heat to food, capsaicin has anti-inflammatory properties. It can be used to treat pain, itching, and some health conditions, such as overactive bladder and some digestive disorders.
Despite the health benefits, capsaicin-rich hot peppers aren’t for everyone. They can irritate your mucous membranes, like the lining of your respiratory system or esophagus. Also, people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) might experience issues like gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or stomach upset after eating spicy foods.
If you’re cooking or preparing capsaicin-rich foods, handle them with care. The chemical can cause irritation or a burning sensation if it comes into direct contact with your eyes, open wounds, or broken skin. Make sure you wash your hands with soap immediately after handling to get rid of any lingering residue.
How Much Capsaicin Do You Need?
There’s no specific recommended dose of capsaicin to get from foods. Studies looking at the benefits of capsaicin have varied greatly in the dose they tested.
Keep reading to learn nine foods high in capsaicin.
1. Pepper X: 3,180,000 SHU
The hottest pepper in the world is Pepper X. It was made in South Carolina by the same breeder who created the Carolina Reaper, a previous record holder. This wicked pepper’s heat level is at 3,180,000 SHU.
2. Ghost Pepper: 1,041,427 SHU
Years before Pepper X and the Carolina Reaper, the ghost pepper held the world’s hottest title, kicking off the hot pepper challenge trend. Called bhut jolokia in India, the country where it originated, this pepper was first to measure beyond the 1 million mark at 1,041,427 SHU.
3. Habanero: 100,000 to 350,000 SHU
Slightly more tolerable, habanero peppers have 100,000 to 350,000 SHU, so you’ll get plenty of the benefits of capsaicin. These peppers are rich in antioxidants including vitamins A and C. Habaneros are usually yellow, orange, and red and have a fruity and floral aroma.
4. Thai Pepper: 50,000 to 100,000 SHU
Thai peppers measure at 50,000 to 100,000 SHU. Their range of capsaicin and heat capacity varies because of the wide variety of Thai peppers.
Thai peppers are often ground into chile flakes or chile powders. They’re also used to make curry paste and Thai curry dishes.
5. Cayenne: 30,000 to 50,000 SHU
Cayenne pepper is a capsaicin-rich food that packs some serious heat, with 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. This spicy red pepper is often dried and turned into a powder or flakes. Don’t mistake it with chili powder, which is usually a blend and a lot less spicy.
6. Tabasco: 30,000 to 50,000 SHU
Tabasco peppers — the key ingredient in Tabasco and other brands of hot sauce — have a unique smoky flavor and a fair amount of heat.
Tabasco peppers have 30,000 to 50,000 SHU, while the sauce has only 2,500 to 5,000 SHU.
7. Serrano: 10,000 to 23,000 SHU
Serrano peppers appear similar to jalapenos but are somewhat thinner and shorter. But what serranos lack in size, they make up for in heat and capsaicin, with 10,000 to 23,000 SHU.
Because of their bright, spicy flavor, these peppers are often used in hot sauces, garnishes, and salsas (pico de gallo, anyone?).
8. Jalapeno: 2,500 to 8,000 SHU
Jalapenos are small to medium-sized peppers that are popular around the world. They have a bite thanks to 2,500 to 8,000 SHU, but they’re much milder than habanero and cayenne peppers.
Jalapenos are also a good source of antioxidants like vitamin C, providing 18 percent of the daily value in one pepper.
9. Poblano: 1,000 to 1,500 SHU
Poblanos are large green peppers that contain much less capsaicin than the other peppers on this list, with only 1,000 to 1,500 SHU. This makes them an easy addition to your diet if you’re not a spice lover.
Poblanos are a staple in Mexican cuisine. They’re often roasted and stuffed with meat or beans. Poblanos can also be dried to make ancho chiles and then used in flavorful mole sauces.
The Takeaway
Capsaicin is the chemical compound that gives spicy peppers their heat.
The more capsaicin in a pepper, the hotter it will be.
Capsaicin has anti-inflammatory properties and has some medical uses, including pain relief.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, is a Washington, DC–based registered dietitian-nutritionist, board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, and media spokesperson, consultant, and content creator for food and nutrition brands.
Ehsani has appeared as a food and nutrition expert for television stations across the nation and in national publications, including Runner's World, Women's Health, and Glamour, and is a contributing writer for EatingWell. She has a strong background in sports nutrition and has worked with professional, Olympic, collegiate, and high school teams and individual athletes.
Alena Kharlamenko, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian, nutrition communications consultant, and recipe developer. She currently serves as a senior health editor for People, Inc. Kharlamenko has been featured in national publications like Cooking Light, EatingWell, and Food Network. She completed a dietetic internship at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
