Mild or Hot? How Spicy You Like Your Food Says a Lot About Your Personality, Survey Finds

If you regularly crave cookies, cakes, and candies, you'd likely describe yourself as a person with a sweet tooth. But sugary treats aren't the only type of food people crave—on the other end of the spectrum are spice lovers. According to a new survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Frank's RedHot, there's a whole population of people who love extra spice in their meals—and it actually says a lot about them as individuals.

The study polled 2,000 Americans to see if there were any similarities between their spice preference and personality. The results? 76% of people who enjoyed spicy food the most also liked trying new things—and 66% felt more content with their lives overall than people who liked milder flavors. In the spice lover category, 54% percent also considered themselves to be creative, 51% said confident, and 44% noted that they were adventurous.

Of the survey respondents who preferred mild foods, 41% shared that they are empaths, while 37% thought they are shy. Those who preferred medium heat levels were, unsurprisingly, somewhere in the middle: 50% called themselves calm, while 44% pegged curiosity as one of their key qualities.

The team behind the survey thought these fun findings established a clearer connection between people who like spice and their personality traits. "These results only confirm what we've known all along: that people who like spicy foods have a spicy personality, too," said Kevan Vetter, executive chef for Frank's RedHot, in a statement. "It makes perfect sense that those who take the heat head on are ready to take on anything and everything else. Heat fans go big on both flavor and adventure, and they're always chasing the spice of life."