What's Worse? 7 Surprising Truths About Food

What's worse: the pain from a mouthful of food overdosed with chili, or too much horseradish or wasabi?

Too much horseradish or wasabi.
McGee knows how much a jalapeño pepper's heat can burn your mouth but says it isn't as startling as the punch you get from too much horseradish or wasabi, whose irritants can quickly get into the airstream and cause a bout of coughing or even choking. If you accidentally go too heavy on the wasabi next time you're eating sushi, breathe out through your mouth and in through your nose to avoid drawing the irritants from your mouth into your lungs.