Chili pepper preference development and its impact on dietary intake: A narrative review
A preference for chili pepper can be an acquired taste. The contrast between a chili lover and a hater illustrates the complexities involved in forming an appreciation for food that evokes a fiery pain sensation. This narrative review aims to understand the factors behind chili pepper preference for...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.1039207/full |
| _version_ | 1798005923211378688 |
|---|---|
| author | Emily Siebert Soo-Yeun Lee Soo-Yeun Lee Melissa Pflugh Prescott Melissa Pflugh Prescott |
| author_facet | Emily Siebert Soo-Yeun Lee Soo-Yeun Lee Melissa Pflugh Prescott Melissa Pflugh Prescott |
| author_sort | Emily Siebert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A preference for chili pepper can be an acquired taste. The contrast between a chili lover and a hater illustrates the complexities involved in forming an appreciation for food that evokes a fiery pain sensation. This narrative review aims to understand the factors behind chili pepper preference formation across the life course and how individual chili pepper preferences can impact eating behaviors and dietary intake. This review was conducted using three databases, yielding 38 included articles. Results suggest five determinants of chili pepper preferences: culture, exposure, gender, genetics, and personality. Collective findings indicate that the strongest influences on preference acquisition include the individual environment from childhood to adulthood and repeated exposure to spicy flavors. With frequent exposure to spicy food, the perceived burn becomes less intense. Culture also influences exposure to chili peppers, with the highest consumption patterns seen within Mexico and some Asia countries. Additionally, males reported having a stronger preference for spicy foods than females. Twin studies illustrated that genetics influenced spicy taste preferences, underscoring the complexity of developing individual taste preferences. As for the impact of capsaicin-containing food on individual eating behaviors and dietary behaviors, appetite effects depend on the dose of capsaicin consumed, but three studies found a change in sensory desires for sweet and fatty foods after finishing a capsaicin-containing dish. Inconsistent results were reported for chili pepper's effects on hunger and satiety after consumption, but changes in specific food desires were observed. The impact of chili pepper on appetite and calories consumed was inconsistent, but the greater amount of capsaicin ingested, the greater the effect. Capsaicin's potential to be used for weight control needs to be further reviewed. In conclusion, evidence suggests that chili pepper preferences may be linked to innate and environmental aspects such as an individual's culture, gender, and genetics. Extrinsic factors like repeated exposure may increase the liking for spicy foods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:46:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb7fc73aeb104ed7840befb09e47e4af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-861X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:46:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb7fc73aeb104ed7840befb09e47e4af2022-12-22T04:23:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2022-12-01910.3389/fnut.2022.10392071039207Chili pepper preference development and its impact on dietary intake: A narrative reviewEmily Siebert0Soo-Yeun Lee1Soo-Yeun Lee2Melissa Pflugh Prescott3Melissa Pflugh Prescott4Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesDivision of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesDepartment of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesDivision of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesDepartment of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, United StatesA preference for chili pepper can be an acquired taste. The contrast between a chili lover and a hater illustrates the complexities involved in forming an appreciation for food that evokes a fiery pain sensation. This narrative review aims to understand the factors behind chili pepper preference formation across the life course and how individual chili pepper preferences can impact eating behaviors and dietary intake. This review was conducted using three databases, yielding 38 included articles. Results suggest five determinants of chili pepper preferences: culture, exposure, gender, genetics, and personality. Collective findings indicate that the strongest influences on preference acquisition include the individual environment from childhood to adulthood and repeated exposure to spicy flavors. With frequent exposure to spicy food, the perceived burn becomes less intense. Culture also influences exposure to chili peppers, with the highest consumption patterns seen within Mexico and some Asia countries. Additionally, males reported having a stronger preference for spicy foods than females. Twin studies illustrated that genetics influenced spicy taste preferences, underscoring the complexity of developing individual taste preferences. As for the impact of capsaicin-containing food on individual eating behaviors and dietary behaviors, appetite effects depend on the dose of capsaicin consumed, but three studies found a change in sensory desires for sweet and fatty foods after finishing a capsaicin-containing dish. Inconsistent results were reported for chili pepper's effects on hunger and satiety after consumption, but changes in specific food desires were observed. The impact of chili pepper on appetite and calories consumed was inconsistent, but the greater amount of capsaicin ingested, the greater the effect. Capsaicin's potential to be used for weight control needs to be further reviewed. In conclusion, evidence suggests that chili pepper preferences may be linked to innate and environmental aspects such as an individual's culture, gender, and genetics. Extrinsic factors like repeated exposure may increase the liking for spicy foods.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.1039207/fullcapsaicinchili pepperappetitespicy fooddietary intakesatiety |
| spellingShingle | Emily Siebert Soo-Yeun Lee Soo-Yeun Lee Melissa Pflugh Prescott Melissa Pflugh Prescott Chili pepper preference development and its impact on dietary intake: A narrative review Frontiers in Nutrition capsaicin chili pepper appetite spicy food dietary intake satiety |
| title | Chili pepper preference development and its impact on dietary intake: A narrative review |
| title_full | Chili pepper preference development and its impact on dietary intake: A narrative review |
| title_fullStr | Chili pepper preference development and its impact on dietary intake: A narrative review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chili pepper preference development and its impact on dietary intake: A narrative review |
| title_short | Chili pepper preference development and its impact on dietary intake: A narrative review |
| title_sort | chili pepper preference development and its impact on dietary intake a narrative review |
| topic | capsaicin chili pepper appetite spicy food dietary intake satiety |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.1039207/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emilysiebert chilipepperpreferencedevelopmentanditsimpactondietaryintakeanarrativereview AT sooyeunlee chilipepperpreferencedevelopmentanditsimpactondietaryintakeanarrativereview AT sooyeunlee chilipepperpreferencedevelopmentanditsimpactondietaryintakeanarrativereview AT melissapflughprescott chilipepperpreferencedevelopmentanditsimpactondietaryintakeanarrativereview AT melissapflughprescott chilipepperpreferencedevelopmentanditsimpactondietaryintakeanarrativereview |