If you think astronauts enjoy dehydrated dinners and freeze-dried ice cream, think again. After a few days in space, they start reaching for the hot sauce. In fact, they may start craving foods they didn’t even like on earth, like spicy peppers. That means Tabasco sauce is definitely on the menu for space shuttle astronauts. Why this sudden interest in hot peppers? Part of the reason is because they lose their sense of smell shortly after arriving in space, and sense of smell largely governs the pleasurable taste of food. For example, if you hold your nose and sip a cup of coffee, you’re just getting a bitter liquid. The primary reason for a reduced sense of smell in space is due to fluid redistribution in the body, causing a puffy face which can affect the olfactory receptors. As for the preference for hot peppers, the heat from the peppers can compensate for the loss of smell and provide a more pronounced taste sensation. The good news is that once the astronauts are back on earth, they typically regain their sense of smell within a few days.
