What is "shogaol"

Shogaol, more accurately (6)-shogaol, is a pungent constituent of ginger similar in chemical structure to gingerol. Like zingerone, it is produced when ginger is dried or cooked. Moreover, shogaol (and gingerol) are converted to other constituents when heat is applied over time, which is why ginger as its cooked loses its spicyness over time.

The name 'shogaol' is derived from the Japanese name for ginger (生姜、shōga).

Shogaol is rated 160,000 SHU on Scoville scale. When compared to other pungent compounds, shogaol is moderately more pungent than piperine, but less than capsaicin.

:{| class="wikitable" !Compound !Scoville Heat Units
(SHU) |- | Capsaicin | 15,000,000 |- |(6)-Shogaol | 160,000 |- | Piperine | 100,000 |- |(6)-Gingerol | 60,000 |}