Study: Men And Women Love Spicy Foods For Different Reasons
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Love the burn of a spicy meal?
According to researchers at Penn State, those who are more adventurous and willing to take risks tend to be drawn towards spicy foods.
But interestingly, men and women who go for fiery foods might have different reasons for doing so.
The researchers say they asked the study participants to fill out a questionnaire. What they found was that while Sensitivity to Reward was more closely linked to the desire for a little heat in men, Sensation Seeking was usually the reason why women sought out spice.
In other words, men might enjoy the praise and adulation they receive for exhibiting "manliness" and eating something hot, while women just enjoy the taste.
"In men and women, there may be divergent mechanisms leading to the intake of spicy foods; specifically, men may respond more to extrinsic factors, while women may respond more to intrinsic factors," the researchers conclude.