See that woman in vivid red lipstick? Or that fellow sporting a lurid shirt? Chances are they like a hot curry, scientists believe.
Eating spicy food makes people more eager to buy colourful goods, according to research.
They were nearly a third more likely to want these objects than if they had not had a spicy meal, academics found.
What they call ‘benign masochism’ is to blame – the brain at first sees the spicy food as a threat due to the pain it can cause, leading to a defensive response such as sweating or an increased heart rate.
The eater then experiences a ‘positive, invigorating excitement’ once they realise they can cope with, or even enjoy, this discomfort. This makes them more likely to enjoy looking at bright colours that match their excitable mood.
The researchers – whose study appears in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services – say this has implications for shops near spicy food restaurants.
They say: ‘Shops could display products such as vibrant clothes, brightly coloured electronics or vivid cosmetics near dining areas that serve spicy food, capitalising on consumers’ elevated excitement.’
This is the first time academics have probed how spicy food affects mood and colour preferences.
Research suggests a direct link between spicy food consumption and a heightened preference for vibrant, colorful products
Researchers conducted four experiments using foods spiked with capsaicin, the heat-inducing compound found in chili peppers. Pictured: a Goan pork vindaloo curry
The researchers carried out four experiments with foods which all contained capsaicin, the hot compound found in chili peppers, whose effects were compared with non-spicy foods including peanut butter.
Excitement levels rose only after spicy food was consumed, and this in turn increased the participants’ propensity to make a purchase.
Preference for more colourful items rose by up to 30 per cent after spicy food was consumed. The study’s authors, from Nankai University in China, added: ‘Humans possess a unique ability to derive pleasure from experiences that are initially perceived by the body as threats.
‘Heightened excitement arousal resulting from consuming spicy food increases preference for vivid colours as they are motivated to seek visual cues that match their elevated internal state.’
