The wasabi spices achieve their name from the wasabi plant, native to Japan. The plant is also known as Japanese horseradish, and it belongs to the cabbage-kind plant family, Brassicaceae. Real wasabi is rarely found outside of Japan, so more of what we call the wasabi spice is a mix of mustard, horseradish and green colouring food.
Wasabi is served with Japanese dishes, primarily sashimi and sushi, also for soba, an additional kick to taste in the dipping sauce. It can enjoy it with other food that includes spiciness complements like roast beef. Real wasabi tastes green and bright with a touch of rapidly fading heat. But how hot is wasabi?
The answer might amaze you. Wasabi is not hot compared to pepper like chilli, habanero peppers or jalapeno, even though it may feel like it is. The cause for this comes down to how over we sense the heat in our noses and in our mouths which alerts our brain that something painful is happening.
We can compare wasabi to chilli pepper with 1000 Scoville units. But the taste is most refined. Wasabi heat sensation arises from the different compounds of hot peppers, and it closes for a shorter duration. Also real wasabi has more umami than spiciness.
How hot is wasabi in Scoville units?
There’s a long-establish myth that wasabi is hotter than hot peppers. Wasabi generally measures in at around 1000 scale units. The fact is that there is no similar thing as wasabi Scoville. Because wasabi is not pepper and has no capsaicin, we can make a contrast based on our taste. In that condition, the wasabi heat level is comparable to peppers with 1000 Scoville units or less. The scientific definition of Scoville units is the amount of capsaicin within the pepper. Wasabi has no capsaicin.
How hot is wasabi compared to peppers?
Any comparison to pepper is inaccurate since the way perception of heat in the human body is measured varies. Scoville units for numerous peppers measure how acute peppers’ spice is to humans. A few examples of those are:
- Jalapeno peppers have Scoville heat unit measurements that range from 2,500 to 10,000.
- Habanero peppers have Scoville heat unit measurements ranging from 100,000 to 300,000.
- Ghost pepper has the richest Scoville heat units of these three, coming in at between 750,000 to 1,500,000.
Since wasabi cannot be measured similarly, it is simply misleading to make comparisons such as these. Suppose you have tried wasabi and feel a burning sensation in your nose. You perhaps had the misconception that it was hot as pepper. You may also have compared it to sriracha, habanero or chilli. This is not true. Wasabi has nothing on one of these hot condiments. It is, in fact, very mild in comparison with pepper-based sauce and spices. But beware: its effects can be most powerful than you think.
How hot is wasabi compared to ghost pepper?
Wasabi is not hot as a ghost pepper. Wasabi can be compared to almost 1000 Scoville heat units, while ghost peppers top out at 1 million SHU. That’s 1000 times hotter than wasabi. Wasabi has a short duration of heat that does not compare to the length of time of burning sensation led by the capsaicin in chilis.
How hot is wasabi powder?
You can compare wasabi powder to chilli pepper with 1000 Scoville units. But the taste is most delicate. Wasabi powder heat sensation arises from the different compounds of hot peppers and their finish for a shorter duration. Also, real wasabi powder has more umami than spiciness.
Wasabi powder usually measures in around 1000 scale units. The fact is that there is no similar thing as wasabi Scoville. Because wasabi powder is not pepper and has no capsaicin, we can make a contrast based on our taste. In that condition, the wasabi powder heat level is comparable to peppers with 1000 Scoville units or less.
What is hotter than wasabi?
The paste you achieve at most sushi restaurants is not prepared from true wasabi but a little horseradish mixed with mustard and green food colouring. So if you just tasted wasabi and horseradish side by side, the horseradish would be hotter than wasabi. Wasabi generally measures in at around 1000 Scoville heats units.
The average chilli pepper measures 2500 to 8000 SHU. So, although wasabi may have a sharp taste, it does not pack a constant heat level as chilli. Then you also have to sever chilli peppers that can measure up to 2 million SHU. So, chilli is hotter than wasabi. Habanero peppers are 100-350 times hotter than wasabi on the Scoville scale.
Jalapenos commonly come in between 2500 to 8000 Scoville heat units, while the wasabi is comparable to 1000 Scoville heat units. So, jalapeno is hot than wasabi. Sriracha has a Scoville rating ranging from 1000 to 2500. At the same time, wasabi can be compared to 1000 Scoville units. It means that sriracha is a little bit hotter than wasabi. Wasabi can be compared to almost 1000 Scoville heat units, while ghost peppers top out at 1 million SHU. That’s 1000 times hotter than wasabi.
Is wasabi hotter than horseradish?
Genuine wasabi is the rhizome of a plant grown in China and Japan( it can be grown in other regions with the proper environment. If you have ever had true wasabi, you know it has an earthier flavour and a great tamer heat level.
Is wasabi hotter than chilli?
No, wasabi is not hot as chilli. Wasabi generally measures in at around 1000 Scoville heats units. The average chilli pepper measures 2500 to 8000 SHU. Wasabi not contain a constant heat level as chilli.
Is wasabi hotter than habanero?
No, wasabi is not as hot as habanero. Habanero peppers are 100-350 times hotter than wasabi on the Scoville scale. Wasabi has a sharp and pungent taste, but it is not naturally hot like habanero peppers. Heat in chiles originates from a chemical compound called capsaicin.
Wasabi’s heat originates from a different chemical compound named allyl isothiocyanate. If you have been to a sushi restaurant that serves fresh ginger and wasabi, you may have observed the difference in the effects of both foods on your mouth; while spicy food lead tears to your eyes, wasabi makes your sinuses tingle.
Is wasabi hotter than jalapeno?
No, wasabi falls well lower than the jalapeno pepper on the Scoville scale. Jalapenos commonly come in between 2500 to 8000 Scoville heat units, while the wasabi is comparable to 1000 Scoville heat units. This all depends on where you consume your wasabi. If you thought your sushi joint has unusually potent green paste they call wasabi, try making sushi with real Japanese horseradish and look if it beats harder.
Is wasabi hotter than Carolina reaper?
No, wasabi’s heat pales in contrast to the Carolina Reaper. The average Scoville heat unit for wasabi is about 1000. The Carolina Reaper has an average Scoville heat unit of 1641000 that’s over 1641 times hotter than wasabi. And if you think this meant that wasabi would not do much in terms of heat or flavour because it can compete with pepper like the ghost pepper and Carolina pepper, think again. Wasabi has loads of a punch with its sharp hotness and strong taste, making it best for sushi and more dishes you want to include some extra kick.
Is wasabi hotter than sriracha?
Many are surprised to learn that wasabi is not that hot, and several common foods pack a bigger punch. For example, sriracha has a Scoville rating ranging from 1000 to 2500. At the same time, wasabi can be compared to 1000 Scoville units. It means that sriracha is a little bit hotter than wasabi. Wasabi may not be the hottest item, but it is still a strong flavour that can include some zing to your food. SO, if you want to include a little bit of heat in your next meal, reach for the wasabi.
Why is some wasabi hotter than others?
Some factors affect the hotness of wasabi. They contain:
- The quality of ingredients used
- How natural the ingredients are
- The freshness of wasabi paste itself
- Growing conditions for wasabi plants
- Amount of wasabi used in a dish
- How long it has been stored before eating or using
- What is mixed with( if anything)
These factors can affect the overall heat level of wasabi paste, so it’s hard to answer why few wasabi pastes are hotter than others.
