Why do astronauts want spicy foods in space?

Is space food the same as hospital food? The food served to inpatients is usually bland. But unlike hospitals, food eaten in space does not taste “weak” because of who prepares it. Incidentally, there is no recommendation that suggests less flavor to space feeds. It is the fault of the human body itself.

In a very short explanation: people lose their sense of smell in space. Astronauts have reported that food loses its flavor after a few days on the International Space Station. According to Jean Hunter, Food Engineer at Cornell University in the United States, in an interview with NPR news site, astronauts want spicy, acidic and sweet foods - which includes pepper sauce on the space menu.

For Hunter, it's like having a coffee holding your nose. "If you hold your nose and taste your coffee, you are receiving only a bitter liquid." But why do astronauts lose their sense of smell and prefer "hot" foods?

Messing up the body

For Michele Perchonok, NASA's chief of food, this could be due to body fluids in a non-gravity environment. On Earth, gravity tends to drag fluids down toward the feet. In space, they go everywhere, including your head. And by holding liquids in your head, it is as if you have a cold.