# Your tolerance for spicy food vs. your tolerance for intense mints? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 22, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782 "2011-11-22T19:10:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/1 "2011-11-22T19:10:46Z")
I can handle just about any spicy food I get. When I order something spicy at a Chinese restaurant and ask that they make it extra spicy, it usually still isn’t spicy enough for me. However, I can’t stand those Altoids curiously strong peppermints. I feel the menthol all the way up to my sinuses. Even those little Brach’s peppermint twists they give out at restuarants are a bit too minty for me, unless they’re dissolved in hot chocolate or something. What is your tolerance for hot (spicy) and cold (mint)? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/2 "2011-11-22T19:13:20Z")
I tolerate both well, but the mints will get to me before the spice will. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/3 "2011-11-22T19:18:08Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever had too minty, but while I have a high tolerance for heat, I’ve gone over the line a few times. When I first went to a BBQ place, I was asked if I wanted hot or mild sauce. I asked for hot, and the counter woman asked if I was sure, because the hot was really hot. I said yes. When I ate it, it was near pain, but delicious. As it turns out she gave me the mild anyway. The next time I went, I got the hot. As soon as I touched it to my lips, my entire head burnt to a crisp. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/4 "2011-11-22T19:42:46Z")
I have a very high tolerance for spicy foods. I intensely dislike anything “minty,” but not because of the minty sensation - I just don’t like the flavour of it. Mouthwash should taste only of eucalyptus and suffering - and as far as anything you’re actually meant to _swallow_, mint can only spoil it. What kind of monster decided that lamb needs _mint?_ Bleh. Clearly, it wants vindaloo-ing. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/5 "2011-11-22T19:59:54Z")
Love hot spicy food. Love mints of all types. How about ginger? I recently had some Chinese Ginger Candy. Intense. They are gummy candies and get “hotter” as they become smaller. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/6 "2011-11-22T20:21:08Z")
I like spicy food but not so spicy that it’s painful. A group of us go to a Thai place for lunch about once a week and about two-thirds of the group order their food “Thai hot”. Then when I order I have to specify “NOT Thai hot”. I can tolerate medium, and lots of times I will just add my own chili paste until it is spicy enough for me. On the other hand I have no problem with minty. In fact I used to pop Altoids two at a time, chew them, and a couple minutes later I’d be doing it again. Sometimes chewing them would cause me to sneeze but the mintiness was never uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/7 "2011-11-22T21:45:09Z")
I have a higher than average tolerance for capsaicin, though I’ve certainly gone over my limit at times, and some folks here like it much hotter than me. But it’s never even occurred to me that anyone might find mint too strong to be tolerable. Just plain not liking the taste, I can understand, but not actual discomfort from it. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/8 "2011-11-22T23:37:13Z")
Spicy… definitely above average tolerance. Minty… I eat and enjoy Altoids like candy. Cinnamon Hot… can’t take it at all. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/9 "2011-11-22T23:42:03Z")
I was seriously disappointed when I tried my first Altoid. They don’t seem all that strong to me. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a mint that I considered too strong. So I guess I have a high tolerance for mint. I can tolerate spicy food pretty well, too, but I’ve definitely eaten peppers that were too hot and had me in pain. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Blue-Sighted_Shadow)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/10 "2011-11-22T23:57:49Z")
I’ve eaten food that was too spicy, but never too minty. Altoids are fine, but I keep waiting for something **really** minty. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/11 "2011-11-23T00:03:34Z")
I can only handle spice in very small amounts (I’ve been known to put a couple drops of Sriracha in dishes), but strong mints generally aren’t a problem for me. Most altoids are, if anything, not strong enough. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/12 "2011-11-23T00:09:45Z")
I like spicy foods, but mint…no way. I detest mint so badly that I have to use toothpaste that isn’t mint. Mint ice-cream, why? ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/13 "2011-11-23T00:11:40Z")
I love spicy and tolerate intense hotness really well. Altoids used to be good, but a few years ago they changed their formula and made them more sweet and less minty. I haven’t bought them since because they became wussy. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/14 "2011-11-23T05:06:37Z")
The older I get, my tolerance for taste extremes is shrinking. Foods that I always loved are now too spicy, too sweet, too salty, etc. Another 10 years and I’ll be eating baby food. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/15 "2011-11-23T05:37:52Z")
I love extremely spicy foods. I always order “Thai hot” and so on. I also love Altoids. Where my weakness lies is in horseradish. I can handle it in small amounts but a really spicy horseradish flavor will instantly render me unable to breathe and empty my sinuses. Interestingly, though I love mint candy, chocolate mints, Thin Mints cookies, mint chocolate chip ice cream, etc… I can’t STAND mint toothpaste. My toothpastes (yes, I have two) are cinnamon+clove and some fruit flavored thing. I like the cinnamon+clove one better, but the fruit one is prescription and is the one I’m supposed to use, so I do. ---
**Author:** ![ProbablyProcrastinating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@ProbablyProcrastinating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProbablyProcrastinating)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/16 "2011-11-23T05:45:23Z")
The hotter and mintier the better. I want to feel those eyes water. But only strong mints. I don’t like peppermint or sweetened mints. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/17 "2011-11-23T12:19:21Z")
I don’t get “hot for hot’s sake”. I don’t mind spicy food\*, but just piling on the heat gets annoying. I don’t touch “flaming hot burgers” or any crap like that and I don’t eat peppers straight. At first, I didn’t like Altoids, but I got used to them. For a period of years, I went through them very rapidly. Now it’s kind of rare when I have them (usually because my mother gives them to me) and I actually prefer the Cinnamon ones. I’d say the chocolate covered ones, but those don’t last more than about 2 days when I have them, when I can actually find them. - Years ago a Chinese restaurant in Uptown had their menu, then an additional 5 stars of heat above that. I regularly ordered 3 stars and occasionally ordered 4 stars. ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/18 "2011-11-23T12:37:56Z")
I love spicy food, and I like mint, but the Altoids are a bit much for me. I can have one, but usually end up spitting it out after a few minutes. I just don’t like that intense peppermint sensation. > [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > What kind of monster decided that lamb needs _mint?_ Bleh. Clearly, it wants vindaloo-ing. Ugh, no kidding. Mint jelly is disgusting. Lamb is just fine on its own, or with a little hot sauce. Adding mint jelly? You might as well squeeze toothpaste onto it. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/19 "2011-11-23T15:27:55Z")
- Love spicy - have gone overboard, but always go back - Love minty - I find some mints a bit too strong, but Altoids are just fine… - Love horseradishy/wasabi-ish - a nice sinus blast is fine by me… …but I can’t handle super-sour candies. I just don’t get the appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782/20 "2011-11-23T15:37:45Z")
Don’t care much for spicy. Love mint, ginger, and horseradish. Altoids are wussy to me and I’m always on the search for an extreme mint or ginger candy. I love that sinus clearing feeling. Oddly enough I don’t care for sweet minty candy such as mint chocolate or mint ice cream. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tolerance-for-spicy-food-vs-your-tolerance-for-intense-mints/603782.md?page=2)