Pepper Heat Chart: Scoville Scale Guide for Cooking

Explore the complete Scoville scale pepper heat chart to compare spiciness levels of common peppers. This visual guide helps you choose the right pepper for your dish without unexpected heat surprises.

Scoville Scale Pepper Heat Chart

Pepper Type	Scoville Heat Units (SHU)	Heat Level
Bell Pepper	0 SHU	Mild
Jalapeño	2,500–8,000 SHU	Moderate
Hatch Green Chile	1,000–8,000 SHU	Moderate
Cayenne	30,000–50,000 SHU	Hot
Habanero	100,000–350,000 SHU	Very Hot
Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)	1,000,000+ SHU	Extremely Hot

The Scoville Scale measures pepper heat intensity based on capsaicin concentration. Higher SHU values indicate greater spiciness. Use this chart to select peppers that match your desired heat level for cooking, sauces, or culinary experiments.

Historical Evolution of Heat Measurement

Developed in 1912 by pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, the original organoleptic test required human panels to detect heat in diluted solutions—a method prone to sensory fatigue and inconsistency. By the 1980s, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) replaced subjective tasting with precise capsaicin quantification, though results are still converted to Scoville Heat Units (SHU) for public reference. Modern standards now differentiate between total capsaicinoids and dihydrocapsaicin variants, explaining why identical SHU values may produce different sensory experiences. (Source: American Chemical Society, 'The Scoville Scale: A Spicy History,' https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/scoville-scale.html)

Contextual Boundaries for Practical Application

While this chart provides baseline guidance, three critical limitations affect real-world usage: (1) Environmental factors like soil composition and sunlight exposure cause SHU variations of up to 40% within the same pepper variety—verified by UC Davis agricultural studies; (2) Culinary context matters significantly, as dairy ingredients can neutralize capsaicin's burn while acidic components intensify perceived heat; (3) Individual physiology creates divergence in heat perception, with genetic differences in TRPV1 receptors making some people 100x more sensitive to capsaicin. Always test peppers incrementally in recipes and consider regional growing conditions when sourcing ingredients. (Source: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, 'Pepper Heat Variability in Cultivation,' https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?post=24912)