Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Food Safety,Our Blog on July 5, 2026
It appears that we live in a world where the word “spicy” is used everywhere. Normal everyday snacks are now labeled with new spicy versions, spicy challenges are taking over the internet and people can’t seem to get enough. It leads me to wonder can spicy foods damage your organs?
Experts like urgent care provider Allan Capin, MD, caution that eating extremely spicy foods has health risks, especially when you’re not used to it. He explains the dangers and how you can ease the burning sensation in your mouth if you overdo it.
Peppers get their heat from capsaicin, an oil-based substance. The more capsaicin, the hotter the pepper. The amount of capsaicin a food contains is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU).
Everyone reacts differently to capsaicin, says Dr. Capin. “Some people are naturally more tolerant of spice because of genetics. They are just born with fewer receptors for capsaicin, which gives them a built-in tolerance for heat.” For others, the way their body’s pain receptors react to capsaicin changes over time. Essentially, this allows them to develop a higher spice tolerance.
The biggest health risk of eating extremely spicy food is becoming sick, which is more likely if you:
The more capsaicin you ingest — whether by eating a large quantity of spicy foods or a smaller amount of an extremely hot one — the more intense your possible reaction may be.
Capsaicin has the unique ability to trigger heat receptors in your skin — tricking your nervous system into thinking your body is overheating. This signals your brain to activate cooling mechanisms. So, you really don’t just taste spicy foods, you also feel them!
Dr. Capin likens the heat from capsaicin to putting your hand over a flame. When your hand is farther away, you feel mild heat, similar to eating mildly spicy food. But as your hand moves closer to the flame (the more capsaicin you eat), the more discomfort you’ll experience. You might even get burned.
Spicy foods can cause internal irritation, inflammation and pain. Your body may see capsaicin as a toxin and try to get rid of it. The result? You may experience:
Eating extremely spicy foods can even cause physical damage and pain so severe that you need emergency care. Gastric acid from vomiting can burn your esophagus and throat.
“Most people aren’t used to that level of heat and are going from zero to 100 when they do something like the ‘One Chip Challenge,’ where you eat an extremely spicy tortilla chip,” Dr. Capin notes. “It’s like putting a bomb in your stomach if you’re not prepared for it.”
“The hottest peppers, like ghost peppers, can kill you. But it’s highly unlikely,” states Dr. Capin. “You would have to eat a huge amount of them. For instance, if you weigh 150 pounds, you would have to eat 3 pounds of ghost peppers to cause a deadly reaction.” The rule of thumb, he says, is to not eat more than 1/50th of your weight in hot peppers.
If you’re having severe symptoms after eating spicy food, seek immediate care. But let’s say you just ate something a little too spicy. Your mouth is burning, your eyes are watering and your nose is running.
Don’t reach for water. As capsaicin is an oil-based substance, water won’t help reduce the painful sensation. It only spreads it around your mouth. To quench the fire, Dr. Capin recommends:
People with conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), indigestion or other digestive issues should avoid eating spicy foods. Otherwise, most people can safely tolerate some level of spiciness. In fact, eating spicy foods you enjoy is good for you.
For more food facts keep an eye on Make Food Safe.