Scoville Heat Scale
For
HOT Peppers
Hot Peppers is in the family called Solanaceae. There Genus name is called: Capsicum. They are approximately 25
Other plants in this family include: Potato,tomato,
petunia,eggplant, and tobacco, to name a few.
wild species & 5 domesticated species. The Five domesticated species are:
C. annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense, C. frutescens, C. pubescens
The substance that makes Peppers HOT is an oil called Capsaicin.
It is mostly concentrated in the veins of the pepper, although to a
lesser degree in the seeds as well. In the early 1900's, a man named
Wilbur Scoville invented a system to rate the "Heat" of the different
types of peppers. In the test, peppers were rated with what was called
"Scoville Units." The rating system became known as the "Scoville Heat
Scale." This is still the most common system used today to rate the heat
of peppers. Although,(like everything else), people have tried to develop
new and different rating systems over the years.
The "Scoville Scale" is still the most accurate!
SPECIAL NOTE!
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PLEASE NOTE
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All pages have been updated.
ALSO
The updated page has over 25 new
peppers added than on the chart below!
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Also Note
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NOTE
The HOTTEST pepper ever on record according to the Guiness Book of World Records
was a Red Savina Habanero which had a scoville rating of 577,000 Scoville Units.
Most people can't tell the difference between a Red Savina and a Caribbean Red .
There both equally the hottest in my book. And the Genus Habanero is still
both of them. The Guiness Book of World Records also rates the genus Habanero
as the HOTTEST type of species
of Chile peppers on the face of the earth!
Scoville Heat Scale
100% Pure Capaicin is
16,000,000 Scoville Units!
PEPPER TYPE | SCOVILLE UNITS |
Caribbean Red Habanero, Red Savina Habanero | 225,000 - 577,000 |
Scotch Bonnet Habanero | 200,000 - 325,000 |
Habanero | 100,000 - 325,000 |
Thai Dragon, Jamaica Gold, Santake', Jamaica Red | 75,000 - 150,000 |
Pico de Pajaro, Chile Piquin, Charleston Hot | 70,000 - 100,000 |
Chipotle, Diablo Grande', China Express | 60,000 - 100,000 |
Ring of Fire, Golden Cayenne | 70,000 - 85,000 |
White Fire, Chiltepin, Tepin | 40,000 - 70,000 |
Cayenne, Chile Grande' | 35,000 - 55,000 |
Tabasco, Aji Amarillo | 30,000 - 50,000 |
Super Cayenne, Super Cayenne II, Tears of Fire Hybrid, Varingata | 25,000 - 55,000 |
Super Chili Hybrid, Cayenne Large Red-(Thick), Cayenne Long Slim | 20,000 - 40,000 |
Chile de Arbol, Japones | 15,000 - 30,000 |
Serrano | 10,000 - 25,000 |
Yellow Wax/Hungarian Wax, Puya | 5,000 - 15,000 |
Kung Pao Hybrid, Costeno Rojo | 7,000 - 12,000 |
Louisiana Hot, Biker Billy Jalapeno, Pasilla de Oaxaca | 4,000 - 10,000 |
Pretty Purple Pepper, Giant Thai Hot, Mitla, Jalapa, Hybrid #7, Grande', Pecos F-1, Tula F1 | 4,000 - 8,000 |
Jalapeno, Chilcostle | 3,500 - 5,000 |
Miasol, Saber Hybrid, Anaheim TMR-23, Onza Rojo, Ole' Pup, Volcano, Cherry Bomb, Inferno, Serrano Tampinqueno, Red Cherry, Huasteco | 2,500 - 5,000 |
Garden Salsa Hybrid, Jalapa Hybrid, Guajillo, Mesilla, Serrano Chili-(Mild), Hungarian Heat, Garden Salsa F-1, MexiBell Imp. | 2,000 - 4,500 |
Sandia', Cascabel | 1500 - 2500 |
Ancho, Poblano, Crimson Hot, Poinsettia, Cascabel | 1250 - 2500 |
Tam Mild Jalapeno, Szentesi Semi-Hot, Chihuacle Negro, Costeno Amarillo | 1,250 - 2,000 |
Pasilla, Espanola, Prairie Fire, Ancho Gigantia | 1,000 - 1,500 |
NuMex Big Jim, Floral Gem | 1,000 - 1,400 |
Mulato Isleno, Negro/Pasilla, NuMex Joe E. Parker | 900 - 1,500 |
Anaheim, New Mexico, Aji Mirasol, NuMex Twilight, Ancho Vila, Romanian Hot Hybrid | 800 - 1,400 |
Aji Panca, NuMex Sunburst, NuMex Sunglow, Ancho Ranchero, Jalepe' Mild Hybrid | 500 - 1000 |
Cowhorn | 350 - 500 |
Senorita Jalapeno, False Alarm Hybrid, Salsa Delight, Marbles | 250 - 500 |
Delicias, Trinadad | 200 - 500 |
Cherry Pepper, Mexi-Bells | 100 - 500 |
Pasilla Bajio, Anaheim-(Mild) | 100 - 250 |
Mild Bell Pepper, Sweet Banana, Pimento | 0 |
Harvest May Vary
Anyone that grows veggies or even flowers knows that each plant can produce different results. Some reasons are growing conditions such as the soil and the amount of light and shade. It can also be affected by the time of day that a certain bloom will mature. This will affect the yield and taste of each individual harvest. The same fact is true on Hot Pepper plants. This is why you see a range of scoville units listed beside each pepper species. Because the "Heat" from each pepper can vary from plant-to-plant, and even from each pepper on the same plant.
So don't be fooled if you taste a pepper that is not real hot, the very next one from the same plant could set you on FIRE!
Taming The Heat
There is a lot of different "folklore" about how to Cool down the heat from a Hot Pepper. The biggest False statement is the one that suggests you drink large amounts of water. And that is the worst thing you can do actually. Some people will tell you that eating Peanut Butter will help ease the heat. And this will actually work because the two oils work together in breaking each other down. Other people also claim that eating a slice of bread will help to Tame the heat. This will also work because the bread will help to absorb the Capsaicin Oils. So I guess the reality of it all would be to combine the three together. So for you "folks" that can't take the Heat from Hot Peppers, try eating a peanut butter sandwich while drinking a large glass of milk. However, in my personal opinion.
Do Not Drink Water
Water will not break down the Capsaicin Oil, and only tends to spread it around into all areas of your mouth.
And then others claim that eating Ice Cream is a great way to help Tame the Heat. These people are actually more correct than they may be aware of. But it has nothing to do with the coldness of the Ice Cream. Ice Cream or any dairy product will work, but a glass of Milk is actually The Best! Dairy products contain a chemical called Casein which is THE Best thing known to break down the heat and the Oil Capsaicin. (The chemical Casein is also where dairy products get there Protein from).
The best way to get rid of the Heat from a Hot Pepper,
is to simply eat another Hot Pepper!
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