Serious Question: My Toddler *LOVES* hot peppers. Okay?

Well eating hot peppers releases endorphins so it's understandable. I love peppers myself.

I wonder, though if there's any reason why too many might be bad for one so small.

She might have a deficiency going on. If she's craving them, there might be something out of balance.

does she react when eating something sour ... say a lemon? Sounds like there might me more to this ... !!!

does not hurt his or her mouth or stomache or when going to the washroom? then i would say its fine but seriously i wouldnt give it to a child tho but thats me

I was the same way, eat New Mexican style homecooking all the time since I was about 2. I can't eat anything without some sort of pepper or fire sauce.

Got a stomach ulcer at 19. So...take it FWIW

Moderation in all things, but especially a toddlers gut!

She drags me to the fridge, opens the door, and points to them.

I've had some hot stuff in my time, it doesn't "Hurt my mouth" as if I burnt it or something. I have lots of heartburn, but never from peppers. The only time it might sting a bit is out the pooper. But it's brief and non-damaging.

She doesn't eat fruit. Ever. Unless it's puree in a pouch.

Are you a Mexican? If so, she may be genetically programed.

My kid loved pickled onions, preferred them to sweets.

I'm sure I saw a tv item about peppers and chillies, saying that people tend to crave them like an addiction, especially the hotter ones.

I would err on the side of caution and moderation.
Kids love slices of crispy red pepper...cool kind.

I didn't intend to mean fruit. What I was getting at was does she react when eating something sour LIKE a lemon or it's juice. She may lack the ability of "Taste" or to feel "Pain". I have to say that it is not normal for a 27 month old to like hot peppers. Just getting the juice on their skin should cause enough pain for them to cry. Let alone crave them. Something is not right ... !!!

THIS!!!

She was Mexican in her most recent past life.

I don't think she's really had "sour" at this point. Not Mexican, British/Polish primarily.

She reacts to the heat, for sure, she just seems to like it.

Sorry to hear about the Ulcer. I wonder if it's the pepper though? I mean, wouldn't all of India have an ulcer?

Well, you're the parent so regardless of whether your toddler demands peppers or not, you still have control over whether she gets them.

Everything in moderation.

You know that shit comes out spicy too, so never let her have too much simply for that reason alone.

It's not dangerous for a toddler to eat very spicy stuff, just moderate it, don't overdue it, and remember you're the parent... she doesn't get anything unless you give it to her, no matter how much she throws a fit.

Why do people always go to Mexico for their Spicy association? Mexican food is about a Six on a Ten scale.

Indian : 8
Thai : 8
Korean: 9
Cajun: 7

Hot peppers are 'food' for the heart and arterial system ~ "Curing with Cayenne" by Dr Sam Biser has some amazing anecdotes re patients suffering strokes then drinking a cup of cayenne 'tea' and walking out half an hour later, none the worse.

I would monitor her intake and watch for any digestive issues ~ perhaps plant a few pepper plants too?

Some children have strange taste...my grandson eats whole lemons and limes since he was old enought to eat solid food, he's 6 now and still loves them.

My daughter can eat them and not think anything of it. When she was 2, she grabbed one of the banana peppers from the Papa John's box. Next thing I knew she had it in her mouth and down it sent. I can't say she does the same for jalapenos, although she likes then. She won't eat them out of the jar, but anything that I cook that is Mexican (including chicken tacos), she wants jalapenos added. She's 11 now, so it's no big deal. Honestly, my biggest fear with her eating the banana peppers when she was little was her getting it on her hands and then rubbing her eyes. But, she loved them. No health issues ever other than an ear infection as a baby and pneumonia right after she started kindergarten.

Wow, I didn't like anything that spicy until I was a lot older.


Very curious

it's good for her.

An adventureous little soul. Good for her! My baby girl loved jalapenos (and curry, and kimchi, and stinky hot Korean foods LOL) too when she was 10 months to about 3 years, and then, peer pressure made her start finding them yucky.

Don't let the bland little macaroni-and-cheese brats get to your daughter! Keep her adventureous!

Actually your statement 'I have have heartburn, but never from peppers' is a bit out there.

You have heartburn no so much from what you ate today, but from anything you have eaten for the last several years.

We train our guts to accept or reject food.

While you personally may not have a problem with the spicy pepper, I'm willing to bet the flora in your stomach complains.

Peppers have been found to kill the 'bad' bacterial in the stomach - what hasn't been told or reported on often enough, it also kills the helpful bacteria as well.

I'm willing to bet that you have upset (killed off) various strains of helpful bacteria and have, therefore, lead yourself to the point where you have a lot of strong 'bad' bacteria and not enough 'good' bacteria.

As for the toddler, their system has fewer bacteria (good ones needed to process food) thus killing them off is a bad thing.

YOU need a strong all around antibiotic - taken for month - say Cipro. During the first week you need to reduce your foods to bland 'fully cooked' foods. During the second week to the fourth wee, you need to eat yogurt with your meals (three times a day). After that you need to eat a cup of yogurt 20 minutes before bed time (no water or food until morning). Reintroduce all of the foods you eat. Eating a cup everynight for a month.

After that you will need to gauge your diet. Eating hot peppers and garlic and other bacterial killers is find, but you need to resupply the good bacteria.

This will kill off all of the bacteria in your system - yes you will have the runs - yes you will feel sick, but by replacing your colony with yogurt colonies, in two months time there will be no more heart burn.

Your daughter needs to have only ONE hot pepper. When she is older she can have more, but she also needs to supplement with healthy good for you bacteria if she doesn't want to follow in your foot steps.

Last Edited by Dr. House on 06/27/2011 07:42 PM

When I took my son on a 2 week 'weaning trip' (it is much easier to simply take him away from the tit then otherwise) at 18 months old...he pointed at a bottle of this
[link to www.denzelshotsauce.com]
as I was dipping corn chips into it and turning bright red.

He pointed and went 'at'...so I put a little bit on a chip.
His face went bright red and snot flew out of his nose, his eyes teared up and he laughed and laughed. 20 minutes later he pointed to the bottle again and said 'at'...so I gave him more. This went on all evening. He (10) has never asked for hot peppers again! But it sure was a fun evening...

My 20 mo old son is the EXACT same way lol he's also obsessed with all forms of salsa and chips too lol I too wondered how strange it was. All I know I its totally fine to give tuem just don't let her eat too many in a setting if it affects her going #2 other than that if she loves them theurr totally fine to eat :) on the lemon comment someone posted my son loves those and limes too lol

I was always told that its not good to give young children spicy foods especially peppers. Thats got to do a number on that kids stomach.

hah! In NO other way is she adventurous with food.

I am a few weeks away from a Master Cleanse. I've been preparing...stopped smoking, stopped drinking soft drinks, stopped taking caffiene. Drinking water now and trying to ease away from junk.

Yogurt is a fine idea.