An underrated interesting question. I got in a short debate to a mom saying babies/toddlers can't eat spicy food but when i googled it up, it says as soon as the baby can start eating solid food, they can eat spicy food. I just didn't have to argue further. I just feel like those people who can't tolerate the heat are missing on a lot.
When I was 5 when my baby sitter got pissed on my behavior, I didn't even remember what I did so she crushed a pepper in her hand and smear it on my mouth as a "punishment". I was really in pain but it wasn't enough to make me cry maybe it's because my spicy tolerance is quite high or maybe it's because I spat it out just as soon as I felt the heat. I just drank water then ran to the sink and gargle over and over. The kind of pepper was actually bird's eye chilis which is a really common small hot pepper here that has between 50,000 and 100,000 Scoville Heat Units and that's not even the kind of chili I'd eat raw and alone up until now. I tried eating it alone when I was 11 and really I can't handle it and it made me think that just how a small kick feels to anyone with low tolerance. So it made me think that was kinda cruel because i'd imagine if I wasn't high in spicy tolerance, it would've made me pass out. I only use those peppers to crush then into my condiment to give it a nice heat.
But my first real spicy food experience was when I was 6. It was a beef soup with chili in it and I really did enjoy it and confused why it felt good but it hurts at the same time.
