How Genetics Shape Your Spice Tolerance | Genes in Action

Do you love the kick of spicy foods? Alex Dainis explores the spicy gene phenomenon and uncover how variations in our DNA influence our taste preferences. Discover the science behind spice tolerance and find out where you stand on the spicy spectrum!

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[kathleenmccrory]

I love spicy food, but I was born and raised in New Mexico, so I think it must be both.

[labcoatgorilla]

Environment almost certainly plays a part. Went from a part of the country where every third restaurant had spicy food to a spot with 3 mexican restaurants in the whole county, and the difference in flavor was staggering. People would complain about salsa that barely registered to me, and handled the spicy food from other cultures even worse. But those cultures that made spicy food were still a huge part of the populace.

[khronos]

I spicy foods, my spice tolerance is in the negative.

[Apratihat]

I am from Barmer, Rajasthan, India, and here in summer it touches 50 degrees Celsius. People here eat red chilli chutney crushed with garlic and eat it with pearl millet roti.

[______IV]

Also, a person’s tolerance can change over time in either direction due to things like frequency/strength of peppers eaten and certain medical conditions.

[grovermartin]

Growing up in northern Ohio, the only spicy heat I ever saw was the jar of ground hot pepper seeds on the tables at my grandmother's favorite Italian restaurant. There was also ground black pepper, but I suspect it had lost much of its heat after years on the back of the stove.

Now spicy hot cuisines abound! Thai, Indian, Mexican/TexMex, Szechuan. And people are loving it!

[ladylauren]

U can also adjust your spice tolerance, I didn’t grow up eating spicy foods so I didn’t really have a tolerance until I met my Nigerian husband who loves pepper 🌶️ now I can eat it without reaching for a glass of water every bite

[MC-]

I had throat surgery as an adult that left scar tissue in my throat; unfortunately, spicy food now irritates me so much to the point that I can eat very spicy foods. Kind of a bummer I used to like sauces with a bit of kick.

[JohnDoe-kvef]

My mouth can handle spicy food but my gut cannot

[floramew]

My parents love spice, as does my older sibling. I. Do not. I can tolerate it better now as an adult but as a kid, sometimes I would find something too spicy to stand, that literally did not register to other people as spicy at all. But I'm also very much risk avoidant, and have dealt with chronic pain my whole life, so it never seemed like a thrilling risk to take. "wow let's add a new and different kind of pain to the mix". Nah.

[Miscellaneous-fk]

I love Spicy foods if they are good. But if it's just straight pain and burn, I don't really enjoy that.❤

[jaeboogie]

I can't stand spicy foods. I've always felt like this about spicy foods. " who wants to be in pain when eating any delicious food "?

[kimikothetanuki]

Spice is good in a meal, but too much ruins the dish

[tn-fwlx]

I love spicy food. Mexicans make the best spicy food in my opinion. It’s only fair to say only because most/all spicy peppers originate there.