Grab the Milk for Spicy Foods

When it comes to tolerance for spicy food, there’s a wide spectrum of where people can land. There are those that argue mayonnaise is spicy and others that nonchalantly mention tasting a bit of a kick as they munch on a ghost pepper. Plenty of us fall somewhere in-between, enjoying the flavor the heat brings but not being able to eat it often because of the symptoms that come from a low spice tolerance, primarily the embarrassing reactions you don’t want to have in public. It’s a sad compromise many make.

Enjoy every bite by pairing your dish with a refreshing glass of milk. Milk helps your mouth handle an oily chemical compound in chili peppers called capsaicin that causes the well-known burning sensation. This means that a pitcher of water won’t bring long-term relief. While water and other beverages spread the oily compound and its heat, milk’s fat will bring relief while washing away the burning feeling, meaning you can wake up with a spicy Chipotle Grits Breakfast Bowl at breakfast without crying all day, which isn’t the best look in an office. Those of us with the most sensitivity to spice can venture to a new world of flavors, though perhaps still on the mild side. Even better, you can entice the family to pour cold milk with an easy casserole dinner, helping everyone towards their daily servings goal without any extra effort.

Or if you want to show off your tolerance for spicy foods without the obvious glass of milk, perhaps you should try a spicy dip that uses dairy in it, providing a little unseen aid in balancing the heat. No one needs to wonder why they’re handling the burning better than normal. Instead, you’ll be sure to serve a hit. For dips that can be combined with chips for more forces to combat the heat, try a Roasted Red Pepper Feta Dip or a flavorful Spicy Sweet Potato Dip. Even those that can’t handle any spice might be able to enjoy a serving without too much complaint.

With a glass of milk and some dairy-filled spicy foods to help combat the heat, now you can enjoy more of the foods you love. So next time spicy food is on the menu, grab the milk as you prepare for seconds.