Nutrition Articles

Suddenly Craving Spicy Food? Here Are 4 Possible Reasons Why

Sometimes you might crave spicy foods out of nowhere. This sudden urge for certain foods or flavors could be triggered by different factors, including hormonal changes in your body, stress, or environmental cues. 1

1. Visual and Smell Cues Can Trigger Cravings

For some people, specific commercials, smells, or other environmental cues can cause intense cravings. 2

“Sometimes you're watching TV, and you see an advertisement for some food that was a favorite at one time, and it could trigger or spark a craving for that food. Or, you are driving in front of McDonald's, and that smell triggers a need for fries,” Shailja Mathur, MS, MEd, RDN, an assistant professor in the department of family and community health sciences at Rutgers University, told Verywell.

This phenomenon is typically associated with “hyperpalatable” foods like salty chips or ice cream. These foods can activate the brain’s reward region and create good feelings, making you want the foods and the pleasurable feeling again and again. 2

But a recent study showed that people who crave spicy food also experience certain physiological responses, like increased salivation and heart rate, when exposed to spicy foods compared to non-spicy foods. These participants also ate more chili oil after seeing spicy food cues. 3

2. Hot Weather Might Make You Want Spicy Food

You may crave spicy food in hot weather because these foods make you sweat. 4

Capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers hot, binds to the same receptor that senses physical heat in our bodies, Diana Guevara, MPH, RD, a registered dietitian and community health education specialist at UTHealth School of Public Health, told Verywell in an email. 5

"It actually increases internal body heat a little bit, but then triggers the body to sweat, and this sweating might make people feel like they are cooling down," Guevara said.

3. Stress Can Trigger Desire for Comfort Foods

People often crave certain foods when they feel stressed. Research has shown that people have more cravings and eat extra sweets and fast food on days they feel stressed or tense. 6

You might feel the same urge for spicy foods, although there has not been enough research specifically linking stress with spicy food cravings, according to Guevara.

"Some people turn to 'comfort food' when they are stressed to cope. If spicy food is something you regularly enjoy and have happy memories with, it may fall under your 'comfort food' category," Guevara added.

Research has also suggested that spicy food triggers pain, causing the release of endorphins and dopamine, a chemical messenger involved in the brain's reward system, which is why some people feel joy from spicy food

4. Hormonal Changes May Influence What You Crave

Many people experience cravings when hormones fluctuate, like during their menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause. 2

Some research has shown that cravings for foods high in fat, sugar, salt, and calories intensify during different phases of the menstrual cycle, but more studies are needed to examine the effect of hormonal changes on spicy food cravings. 1

De Souza LB, Martins KA, Cordeiro MM, De Souza Rodrigues Y, Rafacho BPM, Bomfim RA. Do food intake and food cravings change during the menstrual cycle of young women? Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2018;40(11):686-692. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1675831

Available studies on spicy food cravings in pregnant people have shown mixed results. Some show that pregnant people avoid spicy foods, while others show they crave spicy foods, Guevara said.

A 2016 study found that, of the 39% of pregnant women who experienced cravings, 3.3% reported craving spicy foods like chili, curry, and spices. 9

"During pregnancy and aging, some women will experience hypogeusia, or decreased ability to taste, so this could be a reason for wanting stronger flavors in their food," Guevara added.

Are Spicy Foods Good for You?

Spicy foods often contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds and have been linked to longevity and slower eating rates, which may help people avoid overeating. 1011

If you want to add more nutrient-dense spicy foods to your diet, consider grilled tofu with sriracha, avocado toast with chili flakes, or hummus with garlic and chili flakes, Mathur said.

Still, it's not always a good idea to give in to every spicy food craving. 12. Spicy foods can cause discomfort for people with GERD or acid reflux and may irritate the mouth, lips, esophagus, or rectum, according to Judy D. Simon, MS, RD, CD, a clinical dietitian nutritionist at the University of Washington Medical Center.

"[Spicy foods] can be inflammatory to taste buds and possibly cause indigestion, which can interfere with sleep," Simon told Verywell in an email.

Some cravings may signal nutritional deficiencies, and certain conditions, like pica, cause people to crave clay or dirt due to a lack of iron or zinc. 132 However, research has not proven a strong link between spicy food cravings and nutritional deficiencies.