Feeling exhausted after eating a pepper?

[edelweis]

I got some take-away from a Chinese restaurant today (a new one with recently immigrated Chinese staff from the north of China, and the food is usually quite good, much better than old greasy-style restaurants that abound here) and poured half of each portion in a plate. Two strands of vegetables got caught in the fork tins, one green and one black, from the "cumin lamb" dish.

Without thinking I chewed and swallowed. At the same time I got the hiccups and my mouth felt on fire. It turned out the "black thing" was actually a red pepper. Now I'd eaten red peppers before but in tiny tiny morsels with lots of rice in the same mouthful and got no bad results beyond a runny nose and a tingly mouth and feeling suddenly very very awake.

This time after I had doused the fire and hiccups with rice, I though I would be fine. Actually I started feeling exhausted and cold after the meal with a slightly disturbed stomach, decided to "have a nap", and slept the afternoon away.

There were no intestinal dysfunctions so I think I can rule out lack of hygiene and attribute the exhaustion to the red pepper alone.

Anyone have had this kind (or any kind, or lack) of reaction to red peppers?

[rmpalpha]

I'd say that the exhaustion would have come from the adrenaline rush that took place when you ingested that pepper. When the rush subsides, there is usually a feeling of tiredness as your body recovers from the experience. Hope the food was worth it

I'm jealous you have a great Chinese food restaurant near you. There aren't any good ones around here (that I like, anyway).

[eatfastnoodle]

not a bad way to cure insomnia if you ask me.

[abcdefg]

...attribute the exhaustion to the red pepper alone.

Never had that experience or heard of it before. Very strange.

[skylee]

Perhaps it was the MSG.

Excessive MSG makes me feel exhausted and very sleepy.

[gerri]

Talking about peppers and sleep, although the other way round: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5892371.ece

[xiaocai]

Eat red peppers alone and see if you get any reaction from that or not.

[Outofin]

I sometimes get headache and/or diarrhea after eating hot peppers. It doesn't happen every time, but frequent enough to make me shun too spicy foods.

[edelweis]

Thank you for the replies.

It may have been a mix of the adrenaline rush, too much MSG, and a difficult digestion (the hiccups are a sign my stomach did not like the surprise any more than my tongue, plus I was hungry and my stomach was empty when I ate that pepper, so there may have been some kind of chemical reaction in there between the pepper and stomach acid).

One previous time I'd had food from that restaurant, I did notice I was not in top form afterwards... I thought I had merely eaten too much, but actually could it be the MSG? (or both eating too much and the MSG).

The surprise factor may have played a role... so I think I will pass on the scientific testing for the peppers aspect at least. I think I will get food from that restaurant at least one more time to test the MSG aspect...

[abcdefg]

If you now think it's an MSG issue instead of a pepper issue, why not just tell them to hold the MSG.

不要味精 = bù yào wèi jīng

[giraffe]

I thought the MSG thing had been debunked http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate#Health_concerns.