How to Cool Your Tongue After Eating Spicy Food

Co-authored by Marrow Private Chefs

Last Updated: July 31, 2024 References

It can be both painful and annoying to eat something too spicy and not be able to get rid of that burning sensation. Once you’ve eaten the spicy food, there’s no way to go back, but there are some ways you can fix the pain quickly in the aftermath. To cool your tongue, consume the proper drinks and foods, such as those that contain dairy or high amounts of fat and oil.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cooling with Drinks

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Drinking milk is extremely effective in relieving the burn of spicy foods. It works so well because it contains casein, which is a family of proteins found in milk. Casein breaks down the bonds that capsaicin, the active component that causes the burning sensation, forms on your nerve receptors.^{[1]
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You can also cool your tongue with a big swig of tomato, orange, or lemon juice. These juices can have a neutralizing effect on the pH of the spicy food you’re eating, which will cause relief.^{[2]
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3
Take a shot. Capsaicin can be dissolved by alcohol, but only if the alcohol has a significantly high proof. If you’re of legal drinking age, take a shot of liquor such as tequila, rum, or vodka to help cool off your burning tongue.
- Don’t try to soothe the burning by drinking beer. Beer isn’t effective because it contains too much water and not enough alcohol.^{[3]
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Though a cool glass of ice water seems like a solid fix for soothing a mouth that feels like it’s on fire, it can actually make the burning worse. Capsaicin is a natural oil, and oil and water don’t mix. Because of this, water won’t change how the capsaicin affects your membranes. The water may even cause you more pain and discomfort by spreading the capsaicin.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Cooling with Foods

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Sugar, whether in a refined form or a natural form, like honey, can help neutralize spiciness. After you’ve eaten something spicy, sprinkle enough sugar or drizzle enough honey to cover your tongue so that the capsaicin can be absorbed. This will also put a nice, sweet taste in your mouth.^{[5]
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Mayo Clinic
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2
Eat some yogurt or sour cream. The fat and oil in all dairy products, not just milk, can work well when trying to relieve a burning tongue. Eat a bit of yogurt or sour cream so that the capsaicin can be dissolved, much like dish soap dissolves grease on your dirty dishes.
- Opt for full-fat yogurt and sour cream for the best results.^{[6]
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Swallow some olive oil. While it might taste a little gross on its own, oil has the perfect combination of fat and oil for countering the burning sensation caused by spicy food.^{[7]
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PubMed Central
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Go to source} Hold your nose to minimize the taste and pour a little on your tongue.
- If you can’t stand the taste of the oil, peanut butter has similar qualities and should work as a good substitute.^{[8]
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Starches, such as bread, chips, crackers, potatoes, rice, or pasta, can all act as a barrier between your mouth and the capsaicin in the spicy food you’re eating, which will lessen the burn. These foods can also absorb some of the capsaicin.^{[9]
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5
Eat a piece of milk chocolate. The high fat content in milk chocolate makes it another good solution for cooling off your mouth. Next time you eat something too hot, grab a candy bar to remove some of the capsaicin from your taste buds.
- Dark chocolate has less fat, so it’s less effective.^{[10]
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The smell of the food can sometimes help you decide if the food is spicy or not, but don't be fooled. Just because it doesn't smell spicy doesn't means it’s not going to be spicy.

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Gradually incorporate more spicy foods into your diet to get your tongue use to the taste.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

I like to swish coconut oil around in my mouth for a few minutes. The oil washes away the spice on your tongue. Just spit the oil out in the trash when you're done and rinse your mouth out. It sounds weird, but it works!
Milk is the best solution in my experience. Take a long swig of cold milk, hold it in your mouth for a few seconds, swish it around, and then swallow. Repeat as needed until you've got the spiciness out of your mouth!
Eat chocolate pudding! It may sound crazy but it really helped me, but let it sit on your tongue for about 20 seconds then swallow it

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