Like spicy food? You may be a Risk Taker

According to a new study, what we like to eat could reveal our personality and those who prefer spicy food show high risk taking desire.

The study, conducted by Nadia Byrnes, MS, a doctoral candidate at Pennsylvania State University and colleagues, found a co-relation between risk-taking traits and a preference for spicy foods. The study was based on 184 participants who were non-smokers between ages 18 to 45. The study participants had no known condition that would affect their taste preferences.

The participants were first evaluated using the Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking (AISS) that assesses a person's risk taking desires. High scores on this test mean that the person actively seeks novel and unique experiences while people getting a below AISS mean score showing that they are more likely to stick to routine.

Next, the researchers gave the participants a taste-test, where they had to taste 25 micrometers of capsaicin- the source of heat in peppers. Researchers found that people below the mean AISS score began disliking the meal with the increase of burning sensation while those above the AISS score liked the burning sensation.

"Theoretically, we know that burn intensity and liking are linear related. The more irritating a compound or food gets, the less people should like it," she said in a news release. "But that's not always the case."

The study was presented at the 2013 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo®.

According to a new report, immigrants are changing Americans' food preference. People in the U.S. are increasingly adapting to foreign cuisines that are highly spicy and aromatic.

Our taste preferences aren't static, but change over time with new experiences. According to psychologist Elizabeth Phillips from Arizona State University, humans are genetically pre-disposed to liking sweets and avoiding bitter or sour food, mostly because good, ripe fruits are sweet. A baby will almost always want to taste sweet instead of bitter food. Liking salty food comes later. Also, food high in fat release pleasure hormone in the brain, which is why high fat-sweet and fat-salt combo food such as ice-creams and French fries are so popular.