Strawberries

While most people think of strawberries as a dessert ingredient, they are actually a powerhouse in hot sauce because they contain a specific combination of acids, sugars, and aromatic compounds that interact perfectly with high-heat peppers. Strawberries are roughly 5% to 6% sugar (mostly fructose and glucose). Sugar is a chemical distractor for the brain; it interferes with the pain signals sent by capsaicin, which is beneficial for those who want some burn, but not too much.