17 Struggles People Who Love Spicy Food but Can't Take the Heat Will Understand

Updated on 2/11/2017 at 11:00 PM

Some legends say Latinos can eat the spiciest of food without hesitating a bit, but I'm here to tell you that's far from true — at least for me. Don't get me wrong, I love spicy food (ugh, do I love it?!), but my palette is simply not capable of taking the fire without making my eyes tear, my nose run, and my throat hurt just a little. Has that ever stopped me? No. But would I necessarily say I can eat any and all chili-pepper-infused dishes? No way.

So when friends and family laugh at my need for a tissue as I eat everything from eggs to tacos to rice doused with a heavy serving of hot sauce, I smile and keep going. I'm not about to dump a meal because it's slowly burning my soul with its flavor, and that's determination only a true lover of spiciness would understand. Scroll ahead for 17 more moments you've probably faced as a spicy-food-lover who can't take the heat.

You Know That First Bite of Spicy Food Is the Most Glorious

Ugh, spicy food is so damn good!

Because a Few Bites in, You're Going to Feel the Heat

"Oh, I feel it. Oh, sh*t, OK, that's spicy, but yum!"

And Once That Happens, It's Time to Eat Faster

It's a race against the spicy clock, people! Heat builds up.

And When You Succeed, It's the Best Feeling in the World

I win!

You Love Spicy Drinks Because They're the Perfect Balance of Refreshing and Hot

Micheladas, jalapeño margaritas, bloody Marys — I want them all.

You Know Exactly What Hot Sauce Hits the Right Level of Manageable Spicy Levels

Tapatío and Cholula: OK. El Yucateco and anything with ghost peppers: not OK at all.

But Every Once in a While, You Reach For a Different Sauce

"I can do this. I love spicy food. No problem."

Then You Immediately Regret It

"Oh. My. God."

That's When You Start Crying and Maybe Even Sweating a Bit

"What is this and how can people eat it? What the what?"

But You Know It Was All Your Fault

Yep, I know I'm weak.

If Someone Tells the Waiter That When You Said Extra Spicy You Really Didn't Mean It, We Have War

Mind your own business, please and thank you.

So You Try to Prove Them Wrong

That might have been a mistake.

When Someone Sees You Crying Mid-Spicy Meal and Says Maybe You Should Stop Eating

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

All that Judging Makes Spicy Takeout the Best Thing Ever

I'm home eating and crying, and you can't stare at me and ask over and over again why I do this to myself.

That's When You Can Let Your True Emotions Show

This burns so good.

And Then Simply Reach For Emergency Milk

That's what milk was made for, right?

And When You're Done, You Want to Do It All Over Again

Spicy food for life.