Do you love the idea of eating spicy food but cringe at the thought of even a banana pepper or a hot Cheeto because of the heat that it brings? Just because you are not able to eat anything on the spicy side right now does not mean you and your taste buds need to be relegated to the boring and bland tables permanently. There are some simple things you can do that will help you to increase your spicy food tolerance. In the beginning, it might be a little scary and it might cause a little pain, but you know what they say – no pain no gain.
Baby Steps
If you aren’t used to eating spicy food, do not try to tackle the spiciest dish you can find down at the local Thai restaurant. Just because there are toddlers out there who can run circles around you when it comes to spices, it does not mean you have anything to prove. You need to start small. Add some crushed red pepper to your pasta salad. Add a few banana peppers to a salad. Then, you can move up in the world once you can handle those things with no problem. For example, substitute the banana peppers with some jalapenos. Start with some relatively mild hot sauces and use them with different dishes. Move your way up to hotter options.
Try Different Types of Spicy Food
Sometimes, when you don’t like a spicy dish that you try, it doesn’t mean you do not like spicy food. It might mean that you do not like that dish. Maybe you do not like curry, for example. Maybe you should try another type of spicy food. Experiment with different dishes and see how you feel about each one. Eventually, you will start to build up a tolerance to it, but that does not mean that the heat will go away. It just means you are better equipped to handle it.
Have a Way to Keep Cool
If things get out of hand when it comes to the heat in your mouth, you want to have a way of cooling your mouth down. Otherwise, your mind will chalk it up as a terrible experience, and you might give up on spicy food entirely. Instead, have some milk handy, if possible. If you do not have milk, make sure there are some starches around, such as bread, potatoes, or rice. These are not as effective as milk, but they can help you take some of the fire out of your mouth.
Do Not Force the Spice
As much as you might want to enjoy the food and increase your spicy food tolerance, it might not be in the cards for you. Some people simply can’t handle the spice, and it could end up causing you more pain than it is worth. If that’s the case, do not force the spice, as you will be doing more harm than good. There are plenty of other types of food out there for you to enjoy.