Eating the spiciest chili peppers in the world: What's that like?

Chilis are believed to have originated in what is today Bolivia and have been part of human diets for around 7,500 years. According to the New York Botanical Garden, the chili plants were then spread around the Americas, becoming one of the first cultivated crops of humankind.

But chilis are relatively new to much of the world. They spread across the globe after Christopher Columbus brought them back to Europe in the 15th century and after Portuguese traders brought them to Asia. Since then, they’ve been cultivated worldwide and have become a key ingredient in local dishes.

Image: ciboulette / Pexels

Created by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, the Scoville scale measures the heat of peppers. It’s based on the concentration of capsaicin, the chemical compound that gives chili peppers their heat. The more capsaicin a pepper has, the higher its SHU and the hotter it is. For reference, a jalapeño is usually between 2,500 and 8,000 SHU.

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Capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers hot, is a deterrent against certain mammals and fungi that could harm the plant. For humans, the heat can be an adrenaline-pumping experience, stimulating the body’s fight or flight response and resulting in a rush of endorphins and dopamine. It can also be harrowing.

Photo: Deepak Ramesha / Pexels

Recent research suggests spicy foods have numerous health benefits, such as boosting metabolism, stopping migraines, and reducing inflammation. One BJM study in 2015 found those who consumed spicy foods 6 or 7 days a week showed a 14% relative risk reduction in total mortality.

Image: Jennifer Lawrence Sobs in Pain While Eating Spicy Wings - Hot Ones, First We Feast / YouTube

There’s spicy and then there is eye-watering, digestive system-scorching sadistic peppers — those cultivated to hold as much capsaicin as possible. Eating the spiciest can come with health risks, and they should be handled with gloves. So now, let’s dive into the spiciest peppers in the world!

Image: World's hottest pepper challenge gone wrong - Lizzy Wurst / YouTube

Grown in the US state of South Carolina, Smokin Ed’s Carolina Reaper broke the Guinness World Record for hottest chili pepper in 2013 and again in 2017— a title it still holds to this day. Described as having a fruity, sweet taste with a hint of cinnamon and chocolate, it will also burn your insides with an average of 1,641,183 SHU. It took Ed Currie a decade to perfect its spiciness.

The previous Guinness World Record, this pepper is native to Trinidad and Tobago but was made spicier by an Australian grower, who took it up to an average of 1,463,700 SHU. Named for its distinctive tail, it’s as dangerous as it looks.

Image: Trinidad Scorpion Butch T Chili ripe on a plant by Kouya /  Wikimedia

While we’re speaking of Guinness World Records, let’s shout out Gregory Foster of the USA, who, in 2021, broke the record for eating the most ghost chili peppers in one minute. In 60 seconds, he speed-ate 17 of the scorching peppers.

Image: Most Ghost Peppers Eaten in One Minute - Guinness World Records / YouTube

In 2022, Foster broke his own record related to chowing down on the world’s spiciest pepper. In 2022, he ate TEN Carolina Reapers in just 33.15 seconds. He explained that the pain doesn’t really kick until about 30 seconds after eating them. He did ralph and chug milk afterward.

Image: Spicy Showdown - Carolina Reaper Ultimate Chili Challenge, Guinness World Records / Youtube

Outside of the officially measured scores of Guinness World Records, the pepper widely considered to be the third hottest is the Trinidad Moruga scorpion, with an average heat of 1.2 million SHU, according to a study by New Mexico State University’s Chili Pepper Insitute. Paul Bosland, director of the institute, said, “You take a bite. It doesn’t seem so bad, and then it builds and it builds and it builds. So it is quite nasty.”

Image: Trinidad Moruga Scorpion chili peppers, Hankwang / Wikimedia

While it’s spicy as all heck, it is also considered to be one of the hottest peppers with the best flavors. According to Pepper Head, it is a rare non-red pepper to be on the spicy list. The pepper experts claim that some specimens have reached up to 1.8 million SHU.

Image: 7 Pot Douglah taste test, Peter Stanley / Youtube

This cross between a Naga Morich and a Trinidad 7 Pot pepper was created by Troy Primeaux (aka Primo), a horticulturist from Louisiana. It has a stinger like the scorpion but is wrinkled like the Carolina Reaper, making it clear that this is an incredibly spicy veggie. According to Pepper Head, it has come in at above 1.4 million SHU.

Image: POD REVEIW....The FAMED 7 Pot Primo, Chase The Heat /  YouTube

Coming in at number six, according to Pepper Head, is the Naga Viper, which saw spice levels as high as 1.35 million SHU. Cultivated in the UK, it’s a hybrid of many different peppers. However, since it was never fully stabilized, it remains a rare treat amid the pepper head community.

Image: Eating a Naga Viper Chili, Brian Ambs /  YouTube

This pepper is one of the most famous because it was the first one to scientifically test above 1 million SHU. It was even a Guinness World Record holder in 2007. It has been the center of many YouTube challenges as well. Cultivated in Northeast India, the peppers are added to local cuisine but also smeared on fences or incorporated into smoke bombs to keep away wild elephants.

Image: A fully grown bhut jolokia or ghost pepper plant by Chella P / Wikimedia

Coming in at number eight, according to Pepper Head, is the 7 Pot Barrackpore. Like many others on this list, it originates from the Caribbean nation Trinidad and Tobago. According to Pepper Head, it can reach around 1 million SHU.

Image: The '7 Pot Barrackpore' Pod Review - Bill Moore’s Hot & Spicy Reviews / YouTube

Coming in at number nine is the 7 Pot Red (Giant) pepper. You’ll notice that many are named 7 pots… want to know why? It’s because just one of these peppers is said to be able to add spice to seven pots of stew. Pepper Head says this can also reach around 1 million SHU.

Image: 7 Pot SR Gigantic Red - paulmtonkin / YouTube

According to Pepper Head, this used to be considered the king of spicy peppers, and even held the title of World’s Hottest Pepper from 1994 to 2006. But with just 500,000 SHU, it’s only in tenth place today! But still enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Image: Harvest Red Savina Habanero super hot peppers - Home Gardening / YouTube

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