# Moruga Scorpion Peppers: Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292 "2015-06-01T00:18:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/1 "2015-06-01T00:18:43Z")
My question was raised while reading [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758133) At 1.2 million, and up to a possible 2 million Scoville Units, why would one eat this food? At what point does the heat from these super peppers overcome whatever flavor the food had in the beginning? What is the point of nothing but heat? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/2 "2015-06-01T00:19:28Z")
Bragging rights. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/3 "2015-06-01T00:23:33Z")
I’ve got some [Bhut Jolokia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhut_jolokia) powder. It’s quite tasty, but you only add a teensy bit or you’ll suffer. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2015, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/4 "2015-06-01T00:39:35Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > My question was raised while reading [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758133) > > At 1.2 million, and up to a possible 2 million Scoville Units, why would one eat this food? At what point does the heat from these super peppers overcome whatever flavor the food had in the beginning? > > What is the point of nothing but heat? They do actually have flavor. You don’t have to use a whole pepper, after all. You can add just a little bit, if you’d like. After my rather stomach-churning first experience with them (wherein I ate one whole on an empty stomach, as mentioned in that thread), I did end up using them culinarily just fine. That said, I really don’t like their flavor that much. They have that general habanero/capsicum chinense flavor to them, but with less fruitiness and more of an astringent chemical-iness to it, for lack of better term. When it comes to peppers in this general category, I personally enjoy fataliis the most (which top off at around 400K Scoville), but anything beyond that, I haven’t really been a fan of. (And yet I have two ghost pepper plants in my garden this year. Go figure.) ---
**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:** [June 1, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/5 "2015-06-01T00:46:49Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > At what point does the heat from these super peppers overcome whatever flavor the food had in the beginning? Oh, and as to answer this part, this varies by individual. Tolerance builds over time. Foods I found spicy as kid or teenager are not in the least bit spicy to me now. I remember as a teenager eating a jalapeno whole and then spending the next 15 minutes in intolerable pain, rinsing with milk, bread, etc., to no avail. A few years ago when I ate that Maruga Scorpion whole, it was less hot in my mouth than that jalapeno I remember as a teenager. (I was able to eat it without needing to cool down my mouth with food or drink. It was feeling it trace its way like a fiery chemical burn down my esophagus and into the pit of my stomach that did me in.) So, yeah, you (or at least some people) just get used to it over time. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/6 "2015-06-01T00:58:28Z")
Whatever happened to the ghost pepper? Oh, I see that is another name for the Bhut jolokia now. I’m a lover of and can tolerate the hottest of foods. Recently my chain supermarket started selling a brand of hot chicken wings with a ghost pepper sauce. Supermarket products are never, ever hot enough for me so I bought a box of these thinking “Great! Finally some chicken wings with bite to them.” Well, holy shit, even I couldn’t eat these things. They were torturous and no fun at all. I’ll be shocked if they’'re still being sold. ETA: My lips were burning in the shower the next morning. And I won’t even mention what the other end of my digestive tract was doing. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/7 "2015-06-01T01:03:01Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Whatever happened to the ghost pepper? Oh, I see that is another name for the Bhut jolokia now. I’m a lover of and can tolerate the hottest of foods. > > Recently my chain supermarket started selling a brand of hot chicken wings with a ghost pepper sauce. Supermarket products are never, ever hot enough for me so I bought a box of these thinking “Great! Finally some chicken wings with bite to them.” > > Well, holy shit, even I couldn’t eat these things. They were torturous and no fun at all. I’ll be shocked if they’'re still being sold. I’m curious what these were. Sounds up my alley. 🙂 It’d be nice to get something advertised as “ghost pepper” this-or-that that actually was frickin’ spicy for a change. (Outside of ghost pepper sauces themselves. Some are actually quite hot.) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/8 "2015-06-01T01:12:26Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m curious what these were. Sounds up my alley. 🙂 It’d be nice to get something advertised as “ghost pepper” this-or-that that actually was frickin’ spicy for a change. (Outside of ghost pepper sauces themselves. Some are actually quite hot.) And, [here they are](http://www.yourindependentgrocer.ca/en_CA/products/productlisting/pc-crisp---crunchy-scorching-hot-chicken-wings.html). They sound delicious. The sauce is separate, so I suppose I could have only used half the amount, but holy crap there were almost impossible to eat. Oh, I ate them alright, but paid for it mightily! 😃 ---
**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:** [June 1, 2015, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/9 "2015-06-01T01:40:00Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > And, [here they are](http://www.yourindependentgrocer.ca/en_CA/products/productlisting/pc-crisp---crunchy-scorching-hot-chicken-wings.html). They sound delicious. The sauce is separate, so I suppose I could have only used half the amount, but holy crap there were almost impossible to eat. Oh, I ate them alright, but paid for it mightily! 😃 I am familiar with the brand, as they are or used to be available here in Chicago at Jewel (grocery store), but I’m not sure I’ve seen President’s Choice here lately. (It looks to me from Googling like they were phased out of this market in the early 2010s.) I’ll have a look next time I’m at Jewel, just in case. It’s encouraging to me that the negative reviews on the product are that they are too hot. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/10 "2015-06-01T01:52:55Z")
Why would men drive steel posts thru their penis?😛 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/11 "2015-06-01T02:27:02Z")
I’ll echo the op’s question. Why? Getting use to the heat is like getting use to hitting yourself with a bat. I would prefer to eat things that don’t hurt me. ---
**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:** [June 1, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/12 "2015-06-01T02:37:45Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’ll echo the op’s question. Why? Getting use to the heat is like getting use to hitting yourself with a bat. I would prefer to eat things that don’t hurt me. Well, no. It’s a pleasant feeling. I mean, I guess if you’re into it. Endorphin rush and all that. I don’t know what it is, but I love that feeling, and I’m not into pain in any form otherwise. And once you get hooked, you need more and more to tickle that itch, as you just get used to it. ---
**Author:** ![Recusant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@Recusant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recusant)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/13 "2015-06-01T02:43:58Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’ll echo the op’s question. Why? Getting use to the heat is like getting use to hitting yourself with a bat. I would prefer to eat things that don’t hurt me. I can think of one and only one reason: to build up a tolerance. Police-grade pepper spray is rarely above two million Scoville units, and never above three (at least in the US; unless they’ve changed the laws since last I checked). If you can eat stuff that’s that hot without flinching, having it sprayed at you won’t even slow you down. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/14 "2015-06-01T02:54:49Z")
> [@Recusant](#): > > If you can eat stuff that’s that hot without flinching, having it sprayed at you won’t even slow you down. Until it gets in your eyes. And lungs. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/15 "2015-06-01T03:13:23Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I am familiar with the brand, as they are or used to be available here in Chicago at Jewel (grocery store), but I’m not sure I’ve seen President’s Choice here lately. (It looks to me from Googling like they were phased out of this market in the early 2010s.) I’ll have a look next time I’m at Jewel, just in case. It’s encouraging to me that the negative reviews on the product are that they are too hot. 🙂 Bonne chance. If you do find them, try half of the sauce and you might live. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/16 "2015-06-01T05:49:00Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Well, no. It’s a pleasant feeling. I mean, I guess if you’re into it. Endorphin rush and all that. I don’t know what it is, but I love that feeling, and I’m not into pain in any form otherwise. And once you get hooked, you need more and more to tickle that itch, as you just get used to it. True - the pleasure in eating food containing hot peppers does seem to involve skirting the limit of one’s existing tolerance, but I think you have to acknowledge that there also exists a market sector in which it is really more of a dick measuring contest; were it not so, there would be no need for super-hot sauce products to be named things like ‘Rectal Rocket Fuel’, ‘Ultra Death’ or ‘Wimp Retardant X-Hot’ ---
**Author:** ![Chauve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5daacb/32.png) [@Chauve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chauve)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/17 "2015-06-01T06:06:29Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’ll echo the op’s question. Why? Getting use to the heat is like getting use to hitting yourself with a bat. I would prefer to eat things that don’t hurt me. From the article: “Why We Love the Pain of Spicy Food” in The Wall Street Journal: > [@](#): > > In the human brain, sensations of pleasure and aversion closely overlap. They both rely on nerves in the brainstem, indicating their ancient origins as reflexes. They both tap into the brain’s system of dopamine neurons, which shapes motivation. They activate similar higher-level cortical areas that influence perceptions and consciousness. > > Anatomy also suggests that these two systems interact closely: In several brain structures, neurons responding to pain and pleasure lie close together, forming gradients from positive to negative. A lot of this cross talk takes place close to hedonic hot spots—areas that respond to endorphins released during stress, boosting pleasure. > > [http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-we-love-the-pain-of-spicy-food-1420053009](http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-we-love-the-pain-of-spicy-food-1420053009) The article calls chili-eating a “benignly masochistic” activity and compares it to the fear and arousal produced by rides on roller coasters, parachute jumping, or horror movies: “Superhot tasters court danger and pain without risk, then feel relief when it ends.” It also lists the “Carolina Reaper” as the world’s hottest chili (as of December 2014). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/18 "2015-06-01T06:16:06Z")
Not entirely without risk: > **[Can Eating Too Much Spicy Food Kill You?](https://www.livescience.com/16556-spicy-food-fatal-chili-peppers.html)** > > Could eating too many spicy chili peppers kill you? Capsaicin, the spicy ingredient in chili peppers, can rev up your internal organs, but it would be hard to eat enough of the stuff to cause a serious problem. > **[What If You Eat an Entire Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Chili Pepper?](https://www.livescience.com/34187-trinidad-moruga-scorpion-chili-pepper.html)** > > The world's hottest chili pepper packs the heat of 400 jalapeños. But what does that actually feel like in your mouth? > **[Can Eating Extremely Spicy Food Be Harmful to Your Health?](https://www.weekand.com/healthy-living/article/can-eating-extremely-spicy-food-harmful-health-18005423.php)** > > When you eat spicy food, you might feel like your mouth -- or the top of your head -- is... So, not much long term risk, not fatal, but likely more dangerous than a rollercoaster (unless you stand up). ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/19 "2015-06-01T09:04:58Z")
You don’t need too much of it. I have eaten chow (a mix of fruit salad/chunky salsa dish) made with it. Usually one pepper for the whole bowl, with as many seeds as possible removed, and cut in thin slivers. It doesn’t bury the taste of the other components and is at once refreshing and a bit sweet. I actually like it much more than the supposedly less spicy version done with black peppers. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292/20 "2015-06-01T12:29:18Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Bragging rights. Exactly. You can enjoy spicy food without going for the ultra-hot pepper varieties, that not only singe your G.I. tract but can cause real problems if you accidentally rub your eyes without thoroughly washing your hands first. Interestingly, the Bhut Jolokia pepper, while severely hot, is apparently a wimpy plant and tricky to grow in order to get a decent yield. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moruga-scorpion-peppers-why/721292.md?page=2)