3 ms·

Is the numbing sensation similar to that of cloves?

• ch4s3 4y ago
  Sort of, but not exactly. Cloves contain eugenol which can act as a mild anesthetic. Sichuan peppers contain hydroxy-alpha-sanshool another organic alcohol that is pretty different chemically, I think.
  • krispyfi 4y ago
    "Sanshool" is the Japanese word for a related pepper ("山椒", "sanshō"), combined with the "-ol" (alcohol) suffix.
• wil421 4y ago
  No it’s more slightly numbing with some kind of electricity or bubbly (Effervescent) feeling.
• tintedfireglass 4y ago
  cloves are sweet right? cloves have a pleasant taste and they don't taste "spicy" at all. I occasionally chew some cloves as a mouth freshener and I don't feel any overwhelming spicy-ness like black pepper or chilli pepper
  • giraffe_lady 4y ago
    Sichuan peppers are also not spicy at all. They have an intense herbal/mineral/fruity flavor that's hard to find comparisons for but it is nothing like the "heat" you get from any other foods considered hot like chili pepper, black pepper, ginger, raw garlic, etc.
    • loeg 4y ago
      To be clear, black pepper, chilis, and szechuan peppers are all distinct and unrelated plants.
      • mcguire 4y ago
        And cloves. :-)
• Markoff 4y ago
  no, it's causing your lips to buzz as if electricity is flowing through them