Starting here I need to be up front. I can’t eat and don’t like hot, spicy foods. My taste buds scream for the mild version of salsa, only a speck of jalapeno pepper (no seeds please), no Tabasco. My friends who like spicy flavors tease me for being a wimp around the hot stuff.
So, I’ve set out to discover what’s going on with taste buds. Are mine too “tender” and do the hot-stuff people have tongues that love fire and brimstone flavors? What’s the difference?
First to explain chili peppers. The “hot” flavor and sensation come from capsaicin found in chili peppers. Chili pepper varieties have varying amounts of capsaicin and degrees of “hot” such as jalapenos that can be super-hot or like poblano peppers that are less spicy with a just a hint of heat.
Some people have fewer taste bud receptors for capsaicin that gives them a higher tolerance for spicy heat than people with more taste buds. Exposure to hot, spicy food can build a tolerance to the heat over time especially if you intentionally begin to eat hot, spicy food telling yourself you like it.
I’m not there yet.
HOW WE TASTE
- There are five tastes defined as salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami (savory).
- Papillae, which are the little bumps on your tongue, contain taste buds. The average person has about 10,000 taste buds containing sensory cells that communicate with the brain. When food actives these sensory cells, the brain detects a taste, like sweetness or saltiness.
- All five tastes can be detected across the tongue although the back of the tongue is extra sensitive to bitterness which is thought to prevent us from swallowing toxic substances.
- The palate (roof of the mouth), cheeks, epiglottis (prevents food from entering the windpipe) , and nasopharynx (upper area of throat behind the nose) also contribute to the sensation of taste.
SUPER TASTERS
- Super-tasters have more papillae and taste buds than average tasters or non-tasters and are very sensitive to bitter flavors. They are more likely to be picky eaters and dislike many foods.
- A non-taster likes hot, spicy food, and prefers more seasoning to perk up flavor and interest. Think Tabasco sauce.
- An average taster is likely to enjoy most foods. Their sense of taste is sharp enough to detect taste and flavor nuances.
TASTE AND FLAVOR
- Taste and flavor are not the same thing. Flavor includes taste and smell, as well texture of food, and our exposure to food experiences throughout life. We are born with the basic tastes, but we build a repertoire of flavors unique to us. Preferences and dislikes shape our food choices.
SMELL
- The sense of smell is called olfaction or the detection of odors. As we breathe in a smell, specialized receptor nerves in the nose and sinuses send a signal to the brain that defines the smell.
- Smell dominates flavor. As we breathe in and out our brain detects smell and pairs with taste to create flavor. Think of the smell of baking bread and then eating a warm slice just out of the oven. Add a bit of butter, and you have a perfect and positive example of flavor and memory.
- If you are a wine lover, you might swirl your glass of wine to capture the nuance of smell so you can pair it with the taste of the wine and ultimately pair the wine with food.
HEALTH AND NUTRITION
- Taste and smell can be temporarily shut down by nasal passages compromised by a bad cold.
- With Covid, a common symptom is the loss of taste and smell known as dysgeusia. People also report a strange “metallic” taste and odor that ultimately resolves. Research suggests this is the virus causing toxicity to taste buds and olfactory nerves. Overtime, most people experience complete recovery of taste and smell although a few may not.
- Disease like cancer or medication, such as chemotherapy, can cause a metallic taste that can affect appetite.
- Nutrition plays a role in the health of the taste buds and ultimately the nervous system. B12 plays a role in maintaining healthy nerves. A deficiency could reduce the sense of taste.
- Aging reduces the number of taste buds which may contribute to a loss of appetite and interest in food.
Taste, flavor, and smell are complicated and fascinating. The context in which we eat our food plays a significant role in our exposure to food over time. Parents and family food habits influence childhood food preferences as does exposure to the cuisine of the culture we live in. Life experiences, emotions, and traditions play a strong role in defining what we like and don’t like to eat. More than ever there is a blending of cuisines and flavors that produce new food experiences for the curious taster. Sriracha anyone?
Recipe Tip

Roasted Beet & Orange Salad with Spinach and Feta
Packed with nutrition this salad provides a rich source of antioxidants from the beets. Vitamin C from the oranges boosts the value of the iron in the spinach.
Roast 6 fresh whole beets. Cut off leaves and bottom tip. Cut in quarters or sixths depending on size.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss beets in olive oil enough to coat them well. Season with salt and pepper.
Place beets in a cast iron skillet. Roast 30-35 minutes or until beets are tender but slightly firm. Place in a bowl and coat with 1/2 cup orange juice. Cover. Refrigerate.
Slice peel of two fresh oranges to leave just the flesh. Cut orange in wedges. Set aside. Arrange beets and oranges on a bed of fresh spinach on 4 salad plates. Drizzle salad with a dressing made of 2 tablespoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Garnish with feta cheese crumbles. Garnish lightly with chopped walnuts (optional).
References
Neurogastronomy: How the Brain Creates Flavors and Why It Matters, by Gordon M. Shepherd
Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor, by Nicolas Kurti & Herve
What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life, by Avery Gilbert
Pathogenesis of dysgeusia in COVID-19 patients: a scoping review: CLICK HERE.
Tolerance: The key to enjoying Spicy foods? It’s all attitude: CLICK HERE.
Why is My Tongue So Sensitive to Spicy Foods: CLICK HERE.
Written by: Mimi Cunningham MA, RDN, CDCES
Mimi is a registered dietitian-nutritionist and diabetes care specialist helping people learn to manage their diabetes and achieve good health. She believes food definitely is good culinary medicine.