# I just ate some Naga Jolokia **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 7, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206 "2009-07-07T16:07:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/1 "2009-07-07T16:07:37Z")
The [hottest chilli pepper on earth](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_jolokia), confirmed at over 1 million Scoville heat units. It’s bizarre. My entire mouth is burning like normal, and I have a sheen of sweat on my brow, but there is an added dimension: extra pain coming out of nowhere. The whole of my lower jaw aches, and so do my ears. It also tasted delicious, while I could still taste. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/2 "2009-07-07T16:27:28Z")
After about 10 minutes the fumes went up my nose, I sneezed like crazy and my nose started to run. The pain in my jaw has subsided but all my teeth feel like they’ve been tapped with a ball-peen hammer. My tongue is now numb. My right ear still hurts a lot, and I’m quite dizzy. ---
**Author:** ![StinkyBurrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@StinkyBurrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StinkyBurrito)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/3 "2009-07-07T16:31:26Z")
I’d have expected this from **Mangetout**. Where did you get this pepper, and why did you decide to just eat it straight rather than make chili or something out of it? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/4 "2009-07-07T16:36:51Z")
My coworker brought some puréed stuff in she’d bought, in a jar. I dipped a piece of bread in it and thought, within about 20 seconds, “hold on, that’s not normal”, so I went and looked it up. Turns out it wasn’t just any old regular chilli… 30 minutes later I’m nearly back to normal. One other bizarre effect was that it took me a long time to type the OP - I made dozens of typos that I had to correct. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/5 "2009-07-07T16:36:54Z")
From your link: > [@](#): > > The pepper is used as a spice in food or eaten alone. One seed from a Naga Jolokia can produce sustained intense pain sensations in the mouth for up to 30 minutes before subsiding. Extreme care should be taken when ingesting the pepper and its seeds, so as to not get it in the eyes. It is used as a cure for stomach ailments. It is also used as a remedy to summer heat, presumably by inducing perspiration. [9] In northeastern India the peppers are smeared on fences or used in smoke bombs as a safety precaution to keep wild elephants at a distance.[10] [11] > > In 2009, Indian defense scientists claimed to have found a new place to use the chilies – in hand grenades. The scientists aim to use the Chillies to control rioters to immobilize people without killing them.[12] ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/6 "2009-07-07T16:41:54Z")
[Video of man eating Naga Jolokia](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7z6ah_jolokia-pepper-test_fun). It wasn’t quite as bad for me as it was for him, presumably because what I ate wasn’t fresh. What freaks me out is that the jar says “Warning! Very hot chilli!” not “OMG WARNING!!! Teh hottest motherfucking pepper on freaking _earth_!!! Don’t try this unless you have coated the inside of your mouth with wax and have iron pants on!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/7 "2009-07-07T16:57:33Z")
I want me some Naga Jolokia. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/8 "2009-07-07T18:17:32Z")
Oh boy. I’ve had some really, _really_ hot chillies in different parts of India, but none that comes even close to Naga Jolokia on the Scoville scale. I’ve wanted to try it ever since I first heard about it but so far it hasn’t been possible to find here in Denmark. Do you remember the brand? - I might try ordering it online somewhere (which actually seems like a pretty dumb idea considering the fact that it is apparently a very painful experience). ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/9 "2009-07-07T18:18:17Z")
> [@Spiff](#): > > I want me some Naga Jolokia. I wouldn’t mind some Jaga LaNooki. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/10 "2009-07-07T18:50:54Z")
So how does this work? [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south\_asia/7993925.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7993925.stm) At first, I was thinking maybe she is just missing pain or capsaicin receptors in her mouth. But she smeared pepper seeds in her eyes! What the hell? Is it possible her entire body is just immune somehow? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/11 "2009-07-07T22:45:49Z")
I keep misreading the title as “I just ate some Jawa Nookie”. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/12 "2009-07-08T00:55:58Z")
You know how when you eat a lot of jalapeno pepers, you feel it at … the other end the next morning? Get ready. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/13 "2009-07-08T01:03:13Z")
> [@MrSquishy](#): > > So how does this work? > [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south\_asia/7993925.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7993925.stm) > [@](#): > > The previous record for eating was held by a South African with eight jalapenos in a minute. Eight jalapenos in a minute is the record was? Why did some one not inform me of this travesty. I could have crushed that record and been in the Guinness book years ago. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![xanthous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/53a042/32.png) [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/14 "2009-07-08T01:59:21Z")
I get MAJOR claustrophobia when I eat really, really hot stuff. Hot does weird things to your body. I love hot. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/15 "2009-07-08T03:54:34Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Eight jalapenos in a minute is the record was? Why did some one not inform me of this travesty. I could have crushed that record and been in the Guinness book years ago. ☹ Yeah, I can’t figure out what that sentence was supposed to be. Eight jalapenos in a minute is amateur. However > [@](#): > > An Indian mother is set for an entry into the Guinness World Records after eating 51 of the world’s hottest chilli in two minutes. I can’t even fathom that. I could eat raw habaneros, but no way could I eat more than a couple in two minutes. And they’re a step below these Bhut Jolokias. Incredible. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/16 "2009-07-08T04:38:47Z")
Aren’t nagas a mythological snake-creature? They’re snakes with wings in Christopher Golden’s The Veil trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/17 "2009-07-08T06:49:22Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > After about 10 minutes the fumes went up my nose, I sneezed like crazy and my nose started to run. > > The pain in my jaw has subsided but all my teeth feel like they’ve been tapped with a ball-peen hammer. My tongue is now numb. > > My right ear still hurts a lot, and I’m quite dizzy. As a professional, I advise you NOT TO DO THIS. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/18 "2009-07-08T07:01:39Z")
Day #2 and my trip to the toilet has not been so bad. [Here’s more](http://www.dorsetnaga.com/) from the farm that grew the chilli. I emailed my Indian friend and she says “jolokia” means nothing in Hindi or Gujarati. However, Wikipedia claims that “jolokia” means “chilli pepper” in Assamese, and “Naga” is indeed the snake god - also a popular god in (Buddhist) Thailand where they eat a lot of chillis. Coincidence? _I think not_. And “bhut” means “butt”. No, seriously, it means “ghost”. I fully intend to try this stuff again later, against the advice of the good **Dr Deth**. There’s something a little addictive about being temporarily disabled by a tiny bit of food. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/19 "2009-07-08T08:54:00Z")
I agree with Spiff - I gotta get me some of that. I had some homemade BBQ sauce that claimed to be 1.5 megascovilles and that was a ride. This, however, looks to be a pure burn and it needs to be experienced. ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206/20 "2009-07-08T09:07:11Z")
“Jolokia” does indeed mean “chili pepper” in Assamese. Your friend may recognise the similarity to the Hindi word “jaluk” meaning pepper. In Assam the word is pronounced “Noga”, which refers to the tribes inhabiting Nagaland state, not “Naag” which would refer to the snake god. For what it’s worth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-ate-some-naga-jolokia/502206.md?page=2)