#genetic-variation

#genetic-variation

While some can inhale foods as hot as ghost peppers, others can barely tolerate a small amount of red peppers sprinkled atop a slice of pizza. And the significant variance in spice tolerance can seem like a mystery, but one's tolerance to heat is about more than grit - it has roots in science. Pepper's spiciness emanates from a compound known as capsaicin, a natural substance that binds to the same receptor in your mouth that detects heat and pain.