If you’ve ever bitten into a pepper and instantly regretted your life choices, you’ve already experienced the power of the Scoville Scale—whether you knew it or not. Developed in 1912 by Wilbur Scoville, this scale measures the heat level of chili peppers and spicy foods in Scoville Heat Units (SHUs). It’s essentially the pepper heat scale that helps spice lovers (and skeptics) know exactly what they’re getting into. The Scoville rating tells you how much sugar water is needed to neutralize the heat of a pepper. The higher the number, the more heat—and in some cases, pain—you’re signing up for.
At the mild end of the Scoville chart, you’ll find the bell pepper, which has a Scoville rating of zero. It offers all the pepper flavor with none of the fire. Just above that, and probably the most widely recognized spicy peppers, is the jalapeño. Ranging from 2,500 to 8,000 SHUs, the jalapeño offers a moderate kick that’s approachable for most people. It’s the gateway pepper for many who are just beginning to explore the world of spice. Jalapeños are popular in salsas, poppers, and hot sauces, and they’re often the first name that comes to mind when people think about spicy food.