Your love - or hate - for pepper can reveal a lot about you

Some say that the world's population can be divided between those who can't stand spicy spices and those who love to feel like they've just emptied a spoonful of lava into their mouths. Recent studies, however, indicate that your preference for that extra-strong pepper sauce may give clues not only to your gastronomic inclinations, but also to issues related to your personality, culture, and gender.

When you put something spicy in your mouth, the burning sensation you feel is caused by the reaction between a chemical in the peppers, capsaicin, and a pain receptor called TRPV1. This component of our body is responsible for regulating heat exposure and, when activated, informs the brain that the region is too hot - even though in reality the temperature is not above normal.

According to John Hayes, director of the Center for Sensory Assessment at Pennsylvania State University, people who like spicy foods more are those who are less sensitive to burning sensation. Usually, people tend to like things that they are familiar with. This way, the more pepper you consume, the higher the capsaicin level required to make you feel the original burning sensation.

Adventurers, genres and fire

However, the preference for this sensation seems to be more linked to people with a specific personality type: sensation lovers. Working with scientist Nadia Byrnes, Hayes found that those with the strongest tendencies to enjoy activities such as exploration, adventurous travel, and action movies are six times more likely to enjoy a meal served with spicy sauces.

Moreover, on another occasion, the two scholars reported that women who usually eat spicy foods enjoy the burning sensation more than men who are also used to such foods. According to scholars, the main reason that "macho men" consume spicy things is the desire to impress those who are watching.

A separate study conducted by the University of Grenoble-Alpes, France, found relationships between testosterone levels in male participants and the amount of spicy sauce they added to a portion of mashed potatoes. According to the survey, men who exaggerated the most in pepper also had a tendency to take risky behavior and to act aggressively.

From father to son

Although these elements are influenced by gender, personality, and capsaicin sensitivity, a study by researcher Paul Rozin in the 1970s indicates that cultural factors also affect our appreciation for spicy foods. At the time, the scientist observed the eating habits of Mexican children and came to the conclusion that the consumption of spicy spices is a behavior that we learn from other people.

“When you have a culture in which all foods are fiery, I suspect we can eliminate any relationship between eating these spicy foods and one's personality because of the cultural norms and behaviors passed down between generations. But we cannot be absolutely sure until we test this theory, ”Hayes concluded.