# I am hitting the bottle too often **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077 "2018-12-13T20:15:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/1 "2018-12-13T20:15:38Z")
What? No, not the beer or whiskey - the Tabasco bottle. I am a certified Tabasco addict and can easily go through bottles in mere days - but what’s the straight dope on what this does to one’s innards? I’m picturing myself having an endoscopy at some point decades of Tabasco-imbibing down the road and the doctor peering through the camera tube and commenting, “Yup, looks like something’s peeled all your gastric lining away.” ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/2 "2018-12-13T20:23:55Z")
I tend to doubt there’s anything too dramatic happening to your innards. Assuming you’re not experiencing uncomfortable symptoms (heartburn, ulcers, bloody sharts), go ahead and consume at will. BTW, what’s your favorite Tabasco brand flavor? I’m partial to the chipotle myself. It’s very nice on eggs and fried potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/3 "2018-12-13T20:28:09Z")
I find the chipotle flavor is indeed fantastic. But ONLY on chipotle burritos. Every thing else and it just doesn’t have the same magic. The green Tabasco is perfect for eggs. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/4 "2018-12-13T20:30:20Z")
You put it on your morning cereal yet? Had a girlfriend that did that. I think she had pretty much lost all sense of taste. Or just all sense. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/5 "2018-12-13T20:33:34Z")
I’m a Cholula man myself; the Green Pepper is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/6 "2018-12-13T20:39:42Z")
Ooo, I haven’t had cholula in a while. Good stuff. I’m working on a bottle of tapatio currently. But the going is slow because I keep use del taco’s inferno sauce on everything. That stuff is magnificent! ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/7 "2018-12-13T20:39:48Z")
Crystal is my hot sauce of choice that goes on everything. The main problem with Crystal, as with a lot of hot sauces, is sodium: 160mg/1 tsp! ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/8 "2018-12-13T20:53:48Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > You put it on your morning cereal yet? Had a girlfriend that did that. I think she had pretty much lost all sense of taste. Or just all sense. No…wouldn’t that curdle the milk? Vinegar and milk. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/9 "2018-12-13T20:56:58Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > BTW, what’s your favorite Tabasco brand flavor? I’m partial to the chipotle myself. It’s very nice on eggs and fried potatoes. Just the traditional one, I’ve never tried things like the green type and I can’t recall if I’ve ever had the chipotle. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/10 "2018-12-13T20:57:07Z")
For the commonly available brands Cholula and Tapatio are good, for sure, as is El Yucateco. In all cases I like the habanero version best, then than the jalapeno and last would be the cayenne versions. I’m not much of a Tabasco fan, though - too vinegary for my tastes. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/11 "2018-12-13T21:09:55Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Crystal is my hot sauce of choice that goes on everything. The main problem with Crystal, as with a lot of hot sauces, is sodium: 160mg/1 tsp! Do you use the whole bottle at a time? :o The sodium content is probably not worrisome, unless you’re on a very restricted diet. Velocity, this won’t hurt your innards. Enjoy it! ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/12 "2018-12-13T21:44:04Z")
At the Rome airport earlier this year I ran into a woman who carried tabasco with her everywhere she went… even on the flight. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/13 "2018-12-13T23:27:11Z")
I can’t imagine Tabasco does much to your inner linings. It’s basically just somewhat spicy vinegar (and I say that as a fan, preferring it to Crystal and pretty neck-and-neck with Louisiana hot sauce. That one’s a toss-up. I like the funk Tabasco brings, though.) I doubt it will harm you any more than any acidic thing would. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/14 "2018-12-13T23:49:06Z")
Doesn’t it also contain, as one of its secret ingredients, anchovies? I seem to remember reading that somewhere, so it’s not vegetarian-friendly. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/15 "2018-12-13T23:57:06Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Doesn’t it also contain, as one of its secret ingredients, anchovies? I seem to remember reading that somewhere, so it’s not vegetarian-friendly. Are you sure you aren’t thinking of [Worcestershire sauce?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcestershire_sauce#Ingredients) Officially at least, Tabasco contains nothing but hot peppers, vinegar and salt. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/16 "2018-12-14T00:13:27Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Are you sure you aren’t thinking of [Worcestershire sauce?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcestershire_sauce#Ingredients) > > Officially at least, Tabasco contains nothing but hot peppers, vinegar and salt. You may be right. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/17 "2018-12-14T00:14:19Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Doesn’t it also contain, as one of its secret ingredients, anchovies? I seem to remember reading that somewhere, so it’s not vegetarian-friendly. Tabasco? No. Just fermented Tabasco peppers, vinegar, salt. I’ve never heard anything about any of the Louisiana-style hot sauces using anchovies. All the vegan websites I’m coming up with show that Tabasco is vegan. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/18 "2018-12-14T00:22:15Z")
Oh, and, yes, as mentioned, Worcestershire has anchovies, although I’m sure there are vegan friendly versions of it out there, too. The two most common brands around here - Lea and Perrins and Heinz – both use anchovies. It’s not exactly a “secret” ingredient, though. It’s right on the label, and it’s a riff on European and Asian fermented fish sauces like _garum_. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/19 "2018-12-14T00:53:25Z")
Tabasco or Frank’s Red Hot. Cannot eat pizza without it. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077/20 "2018-12-14T01:18:00Z")
When I was in the hospital, in April of 2017, for a cardiac related issue, they had a nutritionist come in and counsel me on my diet. She really hammered me on the importance of reducing my sodium intake. That is the one thing that I’ve been fairly diligent about. To a large extent I’ve replaced sodium with chilies, peppers, garlic and all kinds of spices. Long story short, I eat a lot of super spicy stuff and often cover it in most of the hot sauces mentioned in this thread. No issues so far. One of my favorites is [Hoy Fong Garlic Chile sauce.](https://www.hotsauces.com/huy-fong-chili-garlic-sauce-review/) Yes, I’m aware that Garlic Chili sauce has sodium. Doesn’t take much though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-hitting-the-bottle-too-often/826077.md?page=2)