For me, some spices that involve oils or the seeds can give my gut a punch. For example, I like jalapeños for flavor, but too much and my gut doesn’t like it. Hotter peppers use less of the pepper for spice, so they don’t crank up the digestion. Some other spices don’t have any effect whatsoever, like dried red pepper can make my mouth burn but never upset the stomach.

I think most of it is what your body is used to, as eating more hot stuff makes it a lot less likely for my stomach to revolt about the jalepenos. But if I take a month off I’m rolling the dice.