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How does the heat treat your taste buds?

I've had lots of weaklings around me making jokes at my expense about how I love hot peppers and can't taste anything anymore.  My palate, to me, has expanded even further as the stuff that was too hot to pick up any actual flavor on before is now--thanks to increased tolerance from superhots--exploding with flavors I didn't know existed.
 
On top of that, all the regular, mild/heat-free foods I eat don't seem to have changed flavor at all.
 
The only exception I have to this being the Musclepharm Combat Cookies 'N' Creme protein powder which, rather than tasting anything like cookies and creme now for some reason tastes like ground beef.  :crazy:
 
I was curious what other's experiences are with hot stuff?
 
I don't find its altered my taste buds really. I do find I can taste the actual flavour of chillies more now though as I am used to the heat and this is not normally too much for me now. What an odd thing to change to! I wonder what makes it taste like beef?!
 
Lol I assume it's the protein in it?  I just remember mixing some up earlier this week and taking a big swig and instead of the sweetness, I get a strange flavor I didn't expect.  Took me the whole drink to finally peg it down to ground beef.  80/20 ground beef unseasoned to be precise.
 
I find it sharpens your palate. The neysayers who say you can`t taste anything are just clueless. When eating a very very hot pod there is often about 2-3 minutes where your sense of taste disappears completely, but it comes back fine. 
 
The one thing it changes, for me, is I can no longer taste bitter. Chinese bitter melon no longer tastes bitter, but I can still taste all the other flavors in there. It does`t make things any sweeter or anything else, just not bitter.
 
Nigel said:
I find it sharpens your palate. The neysayers who say you can`t taste anything are just clueless. When eating a very very hot pod there is often about 2-3 minutes where your sense of taste disappears completely, but it comes back fine. 
 
The one thing it changes, for me, is I can no longer taste bitter. Chinese bitter melon no longer tastes bitter, but I can still taste all the other flavors in there. It does`t make things any sweeter or anything else, just not bitter.
 
Tell you what, I'd say you're more of an authority on this than most as I can only think of you as a masochist with the peppers you submit yourself to on a weekly basis.  My responses to people are gonna be "But Nigel says..." and they're just going to wonder what I'm talking about.  But you and I know.  Oh yeah, we do. ;)
 
Well, you and I, and a ton of other people on here.
 
EliteMcScruffin said:
Lol I assume it's the protein in it?  I just remember mixing some up earlier this week and taking a big swig and instead of the sweetness, I get a strange flavor I didn't expect.  Took me the whole drink to finally peg it down to ground beef.  80/20 ground beef unseasoned to be precise.
 
Was it a new jar?  Or had you already used some from it earlier?
 
Have you gotten someone else to try it?
Are you on any medications?
I was on some stuff this one time that changed the way a lot of stuff tasted
Sweet tea tasted like copper
 
The world of hot sauce with supers has opened up my world of taste not hindered it as some would have you believe. Now don't get me wrong some things are much better without hot peppers such as a nice filet or a ribeye. That would ruin a great steak IMHO. All a good steak needs is a little salt and black pepper.
 
chsy83 said:
Have you gotten someone else to try it?
 
 
I tried to get my fiancee to try it but after I had told her about how it tasted to me, she told me to **** off. Go figure.
 
Honestly it's probably just a changed protein supplier or something but funny nonetheless!
 
Expanded palate to be sure.
I seem to be able to taste notes in other things that were buried before.
 
Maybe the massive mouth fry resets the sense of taste?
 
I have noticed a similar effect after an intense bout of flu or the like that has you unable to really taste anything for a week or so.
 
I always tell people who ask me that question that capsaicin effects the pain receptors in your mouth, not your taste buds. As far as my personal experience goes with hot stuff I've found that even though I love a little Sriracha or Cholula on my eggs I don't like going too extreme during breakfast because it ruins the flavor of my coffee. Other than that it's game on for anything that can use some spiciness.
 
I have the SAME issue with my coffee! I'll have coffee before breakfast, almond milk with breakfast and then coffee afterwards. Best of both worlds. 
 
meinchoh said:
I have the SAME issue with my coffee! I'll have coffee before breakfast, almond milk with breakfast and then coffee afterwards. Best of both worlds. 
Yeah I have my Coffee when I first awake, then on my days off I have a nice breakfast about 2 hours later. Usually Fresh eggs, toast, OJ and my hottest salsa. It has gotten to the point I can not even eat eggs without my salsa. So much so I have to take it with me to the cafe when I choose to let someone else make my breakfast. Yes Coffee does taste different almost like the Chicory taste Coffee I get in Mexico, so I like that too on a occasion. 
 
For me, eating a superhot raw literally changes my taste for at least a day or so in the sense that the flavour of the superhot seems to be imprinted onto my taste receptors.
Like everything tastes a bit like a Moruga, since I did the challenge yesterday, in a queasily sweet way.
I dunno, it does ruin the experience for me, more than the pain of eating it or the extreme cap cramps I had.
 
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