If we read it online it must be true, right? Maybe not…or maybe yes. Most of us already know that we shouldn’t believe everything we read on the internet; And it really is unfortunate, because otherwise so many of us would be swimming in that inheritance money from our long lost relatives. Okay, some things online are (unfortunately) a little more ridiculous than others. 

When I read something that leaves a bit of doubt, or makes me raise an eyebrow, I absolutely must research the subject until I find either proof of it’s accuracy or falsehood.

My job revolves around food, so it is a subject that I research on a daily basis. Through all of that reading I have come across some things that were so ludicrous they made me burst out laughing. Then there are those cases that sounded odd, but somewhat believable, and left me wondering if there was any substance to the claims. One must always consider the source, of course. 

I recently came across a website claiming that putting ground chile pepper in your shoes will keep feet warm during the cold winter season. This was the first time I’ve ever heard of such a thing, and of course I had to find out for myself if this was true. After about two hours of online search I concluded that the claim had some substance to it because it is mentioned and written about on many reputable websites. The reasoning behind the idea and why they claim it works is that the capsaicin in chilies aids in blood circulation, and better circulation means a warmer body. Besides, we've all felt that sweat on our foreheads when eating something a little too spicy.

 

The general consensus is that all one needs to do is grab a sock, sprinkle ground chile pepper into the bottom part where the sole of your feet and toes go, place the foot into the sock, put your shoes on, and viola your feet will start warming up. Now, as much as I love spicy foods I don't really care for chili burns on my hands -- feeling that on my feet didn't sound like something I'd enjoy. But being the curious person I am, I had to find out for myself if this really worked. 

I went into the experiment knowing that eating spicy food increases blood circulation and raises body temperature,  that if I don't wear gloves when I handle chilies my fingers burn, and that the soles of my feet have thicker skin than the palm of my hands. But how would the skin on my toes and feet react to the chili?  I wanted to know would I actually feel a warmth or more of a burn on my toes and feet. So I grabbed some socks and a jar of ground cayenne pepper.

To compare the reaction, I sprinkled the cayenne into one sock and the other I just put my foot into. Then I sat down to write this article and waited to see how long it would take and if the experiment would work. After five minutes I still didn't feel anything. After about ten minutes is when my peppered foot started feeling warm. Interesting, I thought to myself. Then after about fifteen minutes the feeling went from a warming one to a "hmmm, it's kinda starting to feel like a chili burn..." After a few more minutes it really felt like a chile burn and I quickly ran to the bathroom to lather up my foot in as much soap as I could. Luckily the burning feeling stopped right away. 

?Some websites recommend first placing your feet in a thin sock, then taking a thicker one and sprinkling it with the ground chili, and placing your foot into the thicker sock. The idea being that you have a barrier between the bare skin and chile. I honestly don't see how this would work because it's the capsaicin reacting with your skin that makes the warming or burning sensation. Additionally some people did warn that the chili powder might dye the soles of your feet and socks an orange or red colour, be warned. 

In conclusion, yes adding ground up chile to your socks will warm up your feet. But you'll likely get a chile burn. I think that because the skin on the soles of my feet are thicker it took longer for me to feel that warm-burning sensation than it normally does on my hands and finger. It isn't something I would recommend someone do for a typical cold winter day -- but if it was an emergency and one wanted to prevent frostbite, then yes this would be an option. Thankfully I live in the Tropics so I'll only have to add ground chili pepper to my socks when I visit the colder regions of the world. 

 

*Disclosure: I wouldn't recommend doing this experiment on yourself, particularly if you have sensitive skin and get painful chile burns when handling spicy food.