Cushla Holdaway - Preparing for Chilli Eating

Luke caught up with dietitian Cushla Holdaway to share in some tips for beating the heat in the chilli eating competition at the A&P Show on Saturday 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's part of an action packed weekend which also includes
the Ashburton A and P Show today and tomorrow. And
the big challenge for me is eleven o'clock tomorrow at
the RDI Petroleum Stand pulling up a seat at the
table for the chili eating competition. Our go to a
dietitian is Kushla Holdaway.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Morning, Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
J from Spicy Boys said that the thing that causes
the burn from chili's is a compound called cap Sasan.
What is that?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yeah, so cap Sason's part of what's within the Bell
pepper family, so things from chili peppers, jalapenos, even things
like cane pepper. And it's not so much a flavor,
but it's a compound that basically tricks our nerves and
triggers a pain.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Response and use it does.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
We can measure this spice on what's called the Scoville scale. Yeah,
just put that in perspective of your cats. Can you
get from the supermarket has none, So it's zero kalipinos
that you might have with a Mexican neil or around
five to eight thousand, and then some of the hottest
chilis in the world can be six figures on the scale.

(01:10):
So there's a wide variety of spice out there.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
That you did this solution which is in a medicine
bottle as opposed to an actual sauce bottle. So that
gives off an early warning that we've been having fun
with the past couple of days. I think that's over
a million, Jay was saying, So that's why we've been
getting some of the reaction we have, and it's going
to get hotter from there. Is there an actual health
risk of eating chili that's too hot? Cushler?

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Well, I don't want to speak too soon, Luke, but
from what I understand, very uncomfortable, but not necessarily dangerous
and the worst experience. The worst symptoms you would experience
is obviously the pain from the spice, maybe some nausea, vomiting,
and potentially a bit of a sort of tummy But

(01:57):
for people with a known astric ulcers, reflux or IBS,
it could potentially be a bit worse.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Okay, I'm not taking any of those boxes. It's the
morning after that I really should be worried about. So
what's some stuff that could help me? Here? Is there
something I could perhaps eat first to help dull the
cap station receptors in the mouth or line the stomach
something like that.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
There definitely is, and I've got three top tips you
look please, So before you even go and eat the chilies,
you need to be lining your tummy and getting it
as ready as possible. Yes, I dearly. You want a
meal that has a bit of fattened protein in there,
and that's because cap sasin is fat soluble and not
water soluble, so it will help basically absorbing tummy.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
Okay, lard on the menu tonight, gotcha?

Speaker 2 (02:45):
Well, something like even some avocado on toast or peanut
butter or something, get the fullhand would be really good.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah. And then during if you can, you want to
have some milk rather than water or fizzy or anything else.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
You see, I knew Jay was trying to put me cross.
He said, no, I don't bother with the milk. It's
iced water is the best. And I thought that sounded fishy.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
Yes, that does sound fish Yeah, there we go. So
it's definitely some milk or even yogurt, but milk's probably
a bit more practical to have there to drink.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
I know, Alice is into those sucky pouches. Those yogurt pouches,
so are probably got a few of those in the fridge.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
Perfect, Yeah, and that's because the way protein actually binds
to the cat station which helps wash it away nice.
And then yeah, my third tip would be, as we
just said, avoids the water or fizzy because basically we'll
just spread around that cat sace and make it worse.

Speaker 1 (03:35):
Calling your bluff there, Jay, And that's why we pulled
your expertise on Goshler. You know what, I'm feeling quietly
confident about this because i feel like I've got a
decent spicy pain tolerance as it is. And then armed
with your tips, who knows what could happen tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Well, that could help you, because they think some people
are better with spice and others, and part of it
is down to perception and personality. And if you kind
of enjoy this rell of the pain a little bit more,
then yeah, it can help you. You know, not perceive
that it's being so horrible.

Speaker 1 (04:07):
Pain is just weakness leaving the body or in this case,
entering the body and then hopefully leaving at some stage too.
I'm feeling God