What Is A Hottest Pepper in the World? Top Heat Levels Explained

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Wondering what is a hottest pepper in the world? Pepper X, a fiery taste made by Ed Currie of the Puckerbutt Pepper Company, is the answer. This pepper broke all the records and is stronger than the Carolina Reaper.

The world's hottest pepper, it beats all other peppers in the heat race. It's known for its crazy spice and intense heat.

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What Is the World's Hottest Pepper in the World?

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The Reign of Pepper X: Guinness-Approved Fire

Ed Currie of the Puckerbutt Pepper Company in South Carolina bred Pepper X, which is now the hottest pepper in the world. It was stronger than the Carolina Reaper, with an average SHU of 2.693 million and peaks of over 3 million SHUs. It won the title in 2023.

• Pepper X: Average SHU of 2.693 million, peaks at 3 million SHUs.

• Puckerbutt Pepper Company: Bred by Ed Currie in South Carolina.

• Guinness World Record: Officially recognized as the hottest pepper in 2023.

• Extremely hot: Known for its insane heat and the challenge it poses to even seasoned chili lovers.

Carolina Reaper: Former Champion, Still a Legend

The Carolina Reaper, which has an average SHU of 1.64 million, was the hottest pepper for almost ten years. Pepper X took its place as the best superhot pepper, but this one is still remembered as a legend because of its fruity taste and strong heat.

• Carolina Reaper: Average SHU of 1.64 million, peaks at 2.2 million SHUs.

• Ed Currie: Bred in South Carolina, holds the previous Guinness record.

• Flavor profile: Known for its fruity flavor amidst the heat.

• Carolina Reaper peppers: Still widely used in hot sauces and challenges.

What's Hotter, Dragon's Breath or Carolina Reaper?

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Dragon’s Breath: Theoretical Titan, Unverified Claims

It is said that Dragon's Breath can reach 2.48 million SHUs, which could make it hotter than the Carolina Reaper. But these claims haven't been checked by any trustworthy organizations, so it's still not proven in the world of superhot peppers.

• Dragon's Breath: Claimed to reach 2.48 million SHUs.

• Unverified: No official testing or recognition from organizations.

• Genetic instability: Hard to grow and standardize for testing purposes.

• Unproven: Lacks scientific confirmation of its extreme heat.

Reaper vs. Breath: Recognition vs. Hype

There is a Guinness World Records title for the Carolina Reaper, but Dragon's Breath is still just an idea. Despite Dragon's Breath's big claims, the Carolina Reaper has been a strong competitor, consistently achieving high SHU levels and becoming known around the world.

• Carolina Reaper: Officially recognized with Guinness World Records.

• Dragon's Breath: No official testing or recognition from trusted sources.

• Heat levels: Carolina Reaper is a proven, reliable contender for world's hottest chili pepper.

• Pepper popularity: Carolina Reaper has maintained its place in the hottest pepper list globally.

How Much Scoville Can a Human Handle?

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Human Threshold: Where Pain Becomes Dangerous

Like the Habanero, the average person can handle up to 350,000 SHUs. Superhot peppers, on the other hand, like the Carolina Reaper and Pepper X, can make people sick, make them vomit, and give them stomach pain.

• 350,000 SHUs: Upper threshold for most people’s heat tolerance.

• 2.2 million SHUs: Carolina Reaper can cause pain, vomiting, and stomach discomfort.

• High SHU levels: Can lead to burning sensations and long-term damage if consumed in excess.

• Capsaicin effects: Intense burning, nausea, and stomach pain at extreme heat levels.

How the Scoville Scale Works (And Why It Burns)

The Scoville scale measures heat by the amount of capsaicin present. Capsaicin is the chemical that makes you feel like you're burning. A jalapeno, for example, has about 5,000 SHUs, but Pepper X can reach over 3 million SHUs, which is too much for even the most experienced chili fans to handle.

• Scoville scale: Measures capsaicin, the chemical responsible for heat.

• Jalapenos: Around 5,000 SHUs, Pepper X peaks over 3 million SHUs.

• Heat intensity: More capsaicin means more SHUs and burning sensation.

• Sugar water: Used to measure the dilution needed to reduce heat perception.

What Happens When You Eat the World's Hottest Pepper?

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Short-Term Effects: Pain, Panic, and Fire in the Gut

When you eat very hot peppers like Pepper X, they set off your body's pain receptors, making your mouth and stomach burn very badly. It can make you sweat, feel sick, and in the worst cases, throw up and have stomach cramps.

• Immediate reaction: Burning mouth and intense pain in the throat.

• Capsaicin: Causes fire-like sensations and stomach cramps.

• Symptoms: Sweating, vomiting, and extreme discomfort.

• Heat-induced pain: May require medical intervention in severe cases.

Real-World Incident: Hospitalized by Ghost Pepper

A man who ate a Ghost Pepper during a chili challenge tore his esophagus after drinking water, which made the burning feel even worse. This shows how dangerous it is to eat a lot of hot peppers without thinking about it first.

• Real-life incident: A Ghost Pepper challenge caused esophagus rupture.

• Burning sensation intensifies: Water worsens the burn, while milk provides better relief.

• Health risks: Severe cases of vomiting, esophagus damage, and collapsed lung.

• Chili challenge dangers: Extreme heat can cause life-threatening injuries.

About FullyHealthy: Spice Meets Wellness

Our Mission: Smart Spice for Specialized Diets

FullyHealthy specializes in providing AIP-friendly, gluten-free, and allergen-free foods for people who have to follow certain dietary guidelines.

• AIP-compliant: Ideal for autoimmune protocol diets.

• Gluten-free: Suitable for individuals with gluten intolerance.

• Flavors: Safe spice without overwhelming heat from superhot peppers.

Pepper Products

FullyHealthy offers products like Chomps Venison Sticks and Simply Organic Black Pepper, giving you a flavorful kick without the extreme heat of the world's hottest peppers.

• Chomps Venison Sticks: A flavorful, mild pepper alternative for snack lovers.

• Simply Organic Black Pepper: Offers spice without extreme heat.

Final Thoughts

Pepper X has become the new world's hottest pepper, making it the most powerful of all. It has a lot more Scoville heat units than peppers like the Carolina Reaper and the ghost pepper. People can handle different amounts of heat, but this pepper is crazy even for chili fans who love it a lot.

For those who want to learn about the fiery world of spicy peppers, remember to always be careful. Your garden and taste buds may never be the same!

FAQs

Is a Reaper or Ghost Pepper hotter?

Carolina Reaper is hotter with an average of 1.64 million scoville heat units, while ghost pepper or bhut jolokia comes in at around 1 million, offering a beating heat but still milder than the Reaper.

What's hotter than a Habanero?

The Naga Viper pepper and Trinidad Moruga Scorpion are much hotter than a Habanero, with scoville heat units reaching over 1.4 million, basically hitting a new level of spicy.

Is it safe to eat Carolina Reaper seeds?

While eating Carolina Reaper seeds isn't dangerous, the bite of its heat may cause extreme discomfort, so spice tolerance matters when trying different peppers in your stew or on your pizza.

How hot is the Komodo dragon pepper?

The Komodo dragon pepper has around 1.4 million scoville heat units, making it a strong contender but not hotter than the Trinidad Scorpion Butch, which is famous for its twist on spicy heat.

What is the spiciest food in the world?

The spiciest food in the world includes dishes made with Pepper X, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, or red savina peppers, offering extreme heat in every bite.