Last Updated on February 8, 2023 by Shari Mason
Ghost Pepper is among the hottest chili peppers in the world. It gives an intense heat while providing a kickback of a sweet, fruity flavor.
This pepper is often served as a hot sauce, powders, or flakes to spice a meal up, but how many Scoville Units is a Ghost Pepper?
Read on to learn Ghost Pepper’s Scoville Units and how it compares to the other hot chili peppers.
How Many Scoville Units Are in a Ghost Pepper?
Ghost Peppers register an average of 800,000 to 1 million Heat Units on the Scoville Scale. It is a member of the nightshade family.
As one of the hottest chili peppers, touching Ghost Peppers’ flesh with your bare hands will give you some burning sensation. It is recommended to use gloves when handling them.
How To Calculate It
It’s impossible to calculate Ghost Pepper’s Scoville Unit on your own accurately. You can only measure it up using the Scoville Scale Unit Rating.
The Scoville Scale determines the level of the pungency of a hot pepper by measuring the amount of capsaicin in it and how many times it is diluted before its pungency is no longer detectable.
Since the Ghost Pepper has an assigned value of roughly 800,000 to 1 million Scoville Heat Units, that’s how many times it was diluted in a water and sugar mixture.
Ghost Pepper Quick Stats
| Scoville heat units | 855,000 to 1,041,427 |
| Median heat | 948,214 |
| Capsicum species | Chinense |
| Origin | India |
| Size | 2 to 3 inches long |
| Flavor | Sweet, Fruity Berry-like, Earthy |
Is Ghost Pepper the World’s Hottest Pepper?
No, the world’s hottest pepper to date is the Carolina Reaper.
However, Ghost Pepper also became the world’s hottest pepper in 2007 [1] until the Naga Viper superseded it in 2011, and so on.
How Much Ghost Pepper Can A Person Take?
Generally, you can eat no more than 1/50th of your total body weight. Ideally, if you weigh 68 kgs, do not eat more than 1.36 kgs of Ghost Pepper.
“Embarrassment felt a lot like eating chili peppers. It burned in the back of your throat and there was nothing you could do to make it go away. You just had to take it, suffer from it, until it eased off.”
— Sarah Addison Allen, The Sugar Queen
Eating in large quantities or more than 1/50th of your total body weight is likely to lead to mouth burn, stomachache, diarrhea, and many more.
Compared To Other Peppers
Jalapeño
Jalapeño pepper has an average Heat Unit of about 2,500 to 8,000 on the Scoville Scale, which is much less when compared to Ghost Pepper.
It only gives a mild-to-medium heat, and you’ll have to eat around 100 to 125 Jalapeño peppers to add up to the spiciness Ghost pepper has.
Habanero
Habanero pepper ranges from 100,000 to 350,000 Heat Units on the Scoville Scale, making Ghost Pepper several times hotter.
For most people, Habanero pepper is already intolerable, and for it to nearly compare to Ghost Pepper, you will have to eat around 50 to 80 Habanero peppers.
Carolina Reaper
Carolina Reaper measures approximately 1.4 to 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units, quickly walking all over Ghost Pepper’s spiciest kick.
The Carolina Reaper is currently sitting on the throne as the world’s hottest pepper and is entirely in a different league than Ghost Pepper.
FAQs
Are Ghost Peppers healthy to eat?
Yes, Ghost Pepper has a low fat and calorie content and contains antioxidants and a healthy amount of vitamin C.
Furthermore, since it contains capsaicin, it is associated with increasing metabolism to aid weight loss, reducing inflammation to improve heart health, and providing pain relief for headaches, migraines, and more [2].
Where does Ghost Pepper’s name come from?
Ghost Pepper originated in India and is called “Bhut Jolokia”. Bhut is an Assam language that is Ghost when translated. Its many other names are Naga Jolokia, Nagahari, Raja Chili, and more.
What’s hotter than Ghost Pepper?
Carolina Reaper, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, 7 Pot Douglah, 7 Pot Primo, Trinidad Scorpion Butch T, and Naga Viper far exceed Ghost Pepper on the Scoville Scale and take the heat to a brand new level.
Which is hotter, Carolina Reaper or Ghost Pepper?
Carolina Reaper is hotter than Ghost Pepper. Carolina Reaper registers an average of 1.4 to 2.2 million, while Ghost Pepper is roughly between 800,000 to 1 million Heat Units.
What are Scoville units?
Scoville Heat Unit, or SHU, is a metric system used to determine a specific pepper’s pungency or heat level. The scale ranges from 0 (no heat) to over 300,000 (extremely hot).
In other words, the higher the Scoville Unit Reading is, the hotter the pepper is.
Summary
Ghost Pepper was once the record holder of the world’s hottest chili pepper back from 2007 to 2010 until it was overthrown by the other extremely hotter peppers.
It originated in the Assam region of India and is known there as “Bhut” which means “ghost” in the Assam Language.
Lastly, it packs a good amount of vitamin C and antioxidants. It is also associated with many health benefits, like improving your heart health, helping in weight loss, and more.
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/ghost-pepper
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-capsaicin
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