Bhut jolokia is one of the hottest peppers in existence, according to MSNBC. These peppers come from India and are also known as ghost chilis. They have made it into the Guinness Book of World Records after tests showed them to have more than 1 million Scoville units, a system used to measure the heat of peppers. Exports are mainly in the form of chili paste and dried chilis. If you like things really hot you might want to give them a try, but be careful because there are some dangers to eating peppers this hot.
Iron Absorption Inhibited
The high levels of capsaicin, the compound that makes hot peppers like bhut jolokia so hot, could cause you to absorb less iron, according to a study by Siriporn Tuntipopipat and colleagues published in "The Journal of Nutrition" in 2006. However, if you get plenty of iron from your normal diet--especially if it is heme iron, or iron from meat sources--you should not have a problem.
Drug Interactions
According to Drugs.com, those who are taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors such as captopril might have adverse reactions to the high levels of capsaicin in bhut jolokia. The capsaicin in bhut jolokia may bring on ACE inhibitor induced coughing or make this type of cough worse. This is the case with any hot peppers or hot sauce.
Skin and Eye Irritation
As with any hot pepper that contains a lot of capsaicin, it is important to take care when using these peppers to avoid touching the membranes and seeds, and especially to avoid touching them and then touching your eyes or nose. This can cause a burning sensation and irritation that can last for hours. According to the National Pesticide Information Network, capsaicin in high enough doses can cause lesions on the skin and in the eyes.
Inhalation Risks
You need to be careful to not inhale this pepper should you purchase it in the form of chili powder. It can cause you to cough and have difficulty breathing, as well as cause a burning sensation. This can also happen if you eat too much, which is easily possible given the strength of this pepper.
