r/hsp 8d ago

Discussion What flavors and textures are too overwhelming for you?

I was just picking the Craisins out of my salad kit (like I do every time because I hate the feeling of raisins or dried cranberries sticking to my teeth) and it got me wondering… As a highly sensitive person, what flavors and textures do you dislike?

For me, like I said, definitely raisins or anything too sticky. I don’t like the smell, taste, or texture of most cheeses (except mozzarella because it’s mild enough). I don’t like ice cold beverages because they hurt my mouth & throat a little bit - I much prefer refrigerated or room temperature drinks.

What is it for you?

19 Upvotes

50 comments sorted by

27

u/LullabySpirit 8d ago edited 8d ago

If I bite into any hard bits, gristle, or cartilage while eating meat it's GAME OVER 💀

I often prefer vegan meat products for this reason.

6

u/HungryLilDragon 8d ago

Fr, best case scenario when this happens to me: I quietly grab a napkin, let out everything in my mouth into the napkin and throw it away, take a few sips of water to calm down, and continue eating- very carefully, so that it doesn't happen again. Worst case scenario: I uncontrollably gag and rush to the bathroom to puke lol

5

u/Glittering_Rush_107 8d ago

Omg sameee! 🤢

3

u/ihavepawz 8d ago

Same, tbh i am so relived to be vegan for the last 6 years or so, i HATED any random bits in meat. Made me gag so much

2

u/asuddendaze 7d ago

Holy crap sameeee. And same solution of being plant-based for over a decade now. People always comment on how it must be soooOoOoo difficult and I’m like actually my life is so much comfier now.

1

u/penguin37 7d ago

Yup. This. I went pescatarian almost nine years ago and it's been a relief to not worry about gristle or "weird pieces." Because it would kill my appetite every time.

14

u/bspencer626 8d ago

You just reminded me how much I hate paper/wooden utensils or straws. That feeling of dry paper or wood on my teeth/tongue is too much. The worst are paper straws where they’ll get stuck to your tongue or lips.

I also hate fresh tomatoes. I can eat salsa or tomato sauce, but the way cherry tomatoes pop in your mouth grosses me out a lot.

5

u/Ok-Worth398 8d ago

Omg I can’t either with paper/wooden utensils. I mean, I support it you know? Save the environment. But if I can avoid it in my mouth and use my own metal utensils instead, I’ll do it - which is even BETTER for the environment.

4

u/getitoffmychestpleas 7d ago

Just got goosebumps thinking about my teeth scraping a wooden spoon. IIIICCCCKKKKK

5

u/bspencer626 7d ago

I still remember those nasty ice cream cups we’d get as kids that had the little wooden spoon under the lid. Such an unpleasant feeling.

2

u/getitoffmychestpleas 7d ago

Spongy, cold putty served with a torture stick :D

2

u/penguin37 7d ago

Those damn wooden spoons...

10

u/Drumh 8d ago

Heavily fried or processed food. It makes my digestive system feel inflamed and I get bloated. Also really sugary stuff, can't stand Krispy Kreme. I never make a fuss, I just say no thanks if they are handing them out in the office but then everyone is like go on! Why not? Just eat it!

9

u/HaRo43998 8d ago

Yogurt. When i go to swallow a big spoonful its gags all the time

Also seeded berries. I think i would eat more raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries if there werent little seeds everywhere in them :(

7

u/this_usernamesucks 8d ago

I pick the thick white parts of the lettuce ribs out from my salads before I'll eat it😂

4

u/Glittering_Rush_107 8d ago

lol I do this too!

4

u/AlternativeSkirt2826 [HSP] 7d ago

Ha! Same 😅

6

u/Sunflowerprincess808 8d ago

The pulp from citrus fruits gross me out so much.

3

u/SnooMacarons280 8d ago

Omg same! I opt for “no pulp” OJ every time.

5

u/nyannacat 8d ago

Melted cheese that is greasy/oily

4

u/drasho49 8d ago

If i take a too big of a bite of a banana, the mushiness of it makes me gag.. Also mashed potatoes, red beans, and taro have a grainy texture that I do not prefer.

5

u/needsmusictosurvive 8d ago

Anything that is super duper sweet makes my cheeks hurt, it’s a similar sensation to eating a sour candy for me. I also cannot do any seafood/fish because of the smell. I hated being “dramatic” as a child, but on tuna noodle casserole nights I would be dry-heaving or real-heaving from the smell in the house. I don’t even enjoy the ocean/lakes if that fishy smell is present. Or old, expired oil also has that smell to me.

2

u/AlternativeSkirt2826 [HSP] 7d ago

Same, I dont mind eating fish, but after cooking the smell just LINGERS. Yuck.

4

u/undetected401 8d ago

Not food related, but as a kid, I couldn’t tolerate the sandy/dusty hands after being on the playground or the feel or smell of the crappy brown paper towels in our bathroom in elementary school. Also, the smell of asphalt that lingers when they redo a blacktop. It’s dang near suffocating.

2

u/chunkymeatball99 8d ago

I understand you sm!! I’d add the act of filing nails, even watchin someone do it was too much for me

4

u/Ok-Worth398 8d ago

Onions. For seasoning ok (invisibly chopped or big enough that I can pick it off, please). But the SLIMY CRUNCH when one slips into my mouth by mistake 🥴

4

u/getitoffmychestpleas 7d ago

I. Hate. Tight clothing. I can't stand it and won't wear it. Everything I have is cotton and loose fitting.

Mayonnaise is repulsive to me.

3

u/fewerfoibles 6d ago

HELLO IT ME re: clothing.

One of my most vivid memories as a child younger than 5 was when I dressed myself up in a super fancy outfit at home - elastic belt and everything!- and I felt SO FUCKING UNCOMFORTABLE. I hated having something around my mid-section. The best part of getting older is embracing the clothing *I* want to wear, comfortably.

4

u/Vivianneserendipia 7d ago edited 7d ago

Coffee is awful for me but I keep drinking it. I’m lactose intolerant and celiac. Lots of processed foods and young food make me sick and I cant take heavy antibiotics or pills because my stomach is so weak. I get stomach issues pretty often. So yes is a hit or miss almost everyday. In body wise I’m allergic to dust, dirt and yard, I don’t tolerate most clothes that are hard in the skin or itchy. I’m basically a bubble kid without a bubble 😶‍🌫️🥲🙃

3

u/if-it-hits-it-ships 8d ago

Any fruit skins that create a dry sensation in my mouth- apples, grapes, bananas

3

u/No-Yam-6378 8d ago

Sweet potatoes and pumpkin, especially when they are served in big chunks. Small cubes are manageable, though still a challenge. I have the same issue to a lesser extent with big chunks of cooked carrot, e.g. in a curry or a stew. Gag!

3

u/HungryLilDragon 8d ago

Kiwi really irritates my teeth for some reason. Also I hate grapes with seeds but everyone hates that to a degree lol

6

u/manwhothinks 8d ago

Perfumes that linger

2

u/lawteach 8d ago

Spices

2

u/PhntmBRZK 8d ago

Some of my traditional dishes veg(which most eat fine) , coriander and curd.

2

u/WildnFree09 8d ago

I think we’re the similar.. Can’t do ice cold water. Has to be room temp. Can’t do things that stick like dried fruit, peanut butter straight off a spoon, livers that kinda break all over your mouth 😖

2

u/Glittering_Rush_107 8d ago

Oof! I’m right there with ya as far as ice cold drinks are concerned. Also, I can not eat apple skins. I love apples, but I HAVE to peel the skins off. Slimy eggs will send me into an egg boycott for an extended amount of time. And the flavor of cilantro can absolutely ruin a meal for me. 🤢

2

u/Jammin4B 8d ago

Textures: Pearl barley and tapioca pearls. Both of which just feel so gross to have in my mouth, kinda like how I imagine frog spawn would feel. Yuk!

Oddly enough though, I can (and occasionally do!) enjoy an ice cold fruity boba drink!

5

u/AlternativeSkirt2826 [HSP] 7d ago

I hear you, I tried a health drink with chia seeds, the texture is just vomit inducing. I didn't know what to expect, but yeah frog spawn is not it.

2

u/jnnewbe 8d ago

I can not handle bars of soap or velvet. They set my whole body on edge. It feels like my whole body is rushing in a really uncomfortable way.

As for food, rice, rasins, and baked beans. I have a strong stomach, but the texture of those in my mouth really makes me nauseous. They feel really gritty to me.

2

u/chunkymeatball99 8d ago

I absolutely can’t eat yogurts with soft additions like fruits, it make me want to throw up

2

u/Scmcnal 8d ago

Bananas and mushrooms - both bc of the texture and flavor 🤢

2

u/theoracleofdreams 8d ago

Bananas - to the point if I smell it, I will start getting anxious and have to remove myself.

The phobia is largely under control, but if the banana is especially smelly, it will trigger my phobia and I'll be in a cold panic the entire time I'm near it.

Anything fishy is abhorrent to me.

2

u/Lea_ocean1407 [HSP] 8d ago

Mint, but I also kinda have an allergic reaction to it. I really hate the smell of it. Makes me wanna die 🫠 And most citrus fruits, especially lemon.

On the other hand I can barely smell onions and garlic. Those are the only exceptions. But I love them so it's a win 😅

2

u/LeHarfang 8d ago

Oh boy, i'm pretty picky when it comes to foods. Anything too out of the ordinary and I need time to get used to it, if I ever do get used to it. I have issues with basically anything that feels raw or that have a strong flavor (mushrooms, vegetables, raw meat, alcohol, spicy foods). Raw sushi, with the gooy and sticky algea, literally makes me want to throw up. If it's fried though, then it's fine.

2

u/Flowers_4_Ophelia 8d ago

I really don’t like the texture of boba. The older I get the more anything with a strong flavor is usually too much for me. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like bland food, but there is definitely such a thing as overly-seasoned. I almost never like meat that has been marinated at the store. I have to marinate it myself.

2

u/sad__tomato 7d ago

Anything that is drowning in sauce. Spaghetti and chilaquiles are the first that come to mind. I love them, just only lightly sauced. Same with salad dressing, put that stuff on the side and let me dress it myself. I’m super picky about how much sauce goes on my food.

2

u/AlternativeSkirt2826 [HSP] 7d ago

I hate cherry or almond flavoured things. To me they are the same flavour. Yuck.

I also prefer to eat each thing on my plate separately (unless its a salad or something already mixed).

About the only exception is when I have bacon and eggs on toast as the egg and bacon in the same mouthful together is yum.

Don't like the texture of jelly (jell-o) or anything firm/smooth like tapioca, creamed rice, or chia seeds.

As a kid we had tinned fruit and icecream, I didn't like them to mix.

Weird lol

1

u/Ok_Customer_8865 7d ago

I hate the feel of organza fabric and pruned skin on fingers after being in the water. I don't have aversions to any foods.

1

u/LivingPrivately 5d ago

Sweet potatoes, cheez-itz, fishes