We’ve all heard that the best trick vs sharp it’s a little drink milk. In fact, in competitions in which two competitors play to see who can eat the hottest pepper or sauce, they usually always have a glass of this drink on hand. Also in games like the one the magazine ran Elle with some of his guests. Recently they had Shakira, who had to try some hot wings. By the way, with sufficient endurance. But the amazing thing is that at some point in the game he points out that he drinks not cow’s milk, but macadamiaand this makes us wonder: is vegetable drink also to counteract the spiciness?
The truth is that it depends on what kind of vegetable drink we drink. As a spoiler, macadamia is not the best option. In fact, it’s one of the worst.
To know which vegetable drink is better in these cases, we must first understand why this trick is used against spicy foods. Some of milk components They help coat the substances responsible for that taste so that the burning signal is not sent to our brain. Let’s figure out what these components are and what vegetable drinks they can be found in.
The trick against spicy food that everyone knows
Spicy foods, such as some peppers, contain a substance called capsaicinwho has the opportunity to join TRPV1 receptors in the cells of the mouth. These receptors are also activated by certain stimuli such as very high temperature or very low pH, sending signals to the brain that cause a painful response. Thus, we will react by avoiding very acidic or very hot foods, which can damage the oral cavity.
By binding to these receptors, capsaicin causes exactly the same effect: pain and burning sensation. Therefore, the best trick against spicy food is conclude somehow this capsaicin does not reach the TRPV1 receptors.
We know that capsaicin is a molecule lipophilic and hydrophobic. This means that it has an affinity for fats and an aversion to water, so it can bind to the former but not the latter.
On the other hand, lipophilic molecules tend to bind to each other. This is where milk comes into play. This drink contains a large amount of protein called casein, which is also lipophilic. Moreover, this very rich in fattherefore, they tend to surround capsaicin and fail to reach pain receptors.
In any case, the role of casein is much more important than the role of fats, since it has been noted that the effect of whole and skim milk on pungency is very similar.
What about plant-based drinks?
Plant-based drinks They don’t contain casein. As for the rest of the proteins and fats, it all depends on what kind of drink we are talking about. In particular, the macadamia drink that Shakira drank is high in fat but very low in protein compared to other vegetable drinks. Thus, although the fats will coat the capsaicin to some extent, it will not provide much benefit.
As for the rest of the plant-based drinks, if we compare some typical ones, such as almond milk, soy milk or oat milk, we see that the richest in protein is soy milk. In fact, it is comparable to that of a cow. However, it should be kept in mind that these proteins are not caseins. However, some of these proteins have also been shown to be lipophilic and can bind to capsaicin. It’s not the same as cow’s milk, but it can work.
As for fats, one of the richest plant drinks is hemp. However, its protein content is much lower. So overall, soy milk is a much better option. He sweetness some of these drinks such as coconut, may help mask the spicy taste a bit. In fact, they are often used in sauces such as curries to offset their flavor. But that doesn’t help take the edge off when we’ve just tasted peppers or wings that sting our tongue. For this you need something much stronger. macadamia milk from Shakira – not the best option, but certainly better than water. Seriously, never try to take the heat off with water.
Source: Hiper Textual
