Pungent foods have a strong, often sharp flavor that can be unpleasant to some people. Common pungent foods include onions, garlic, and spicy peppers.
The most common pungentfoods
Garlic
Garlic has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb and spice. Garlic can be pungent, bitter, and hot because of the presence of allicin, the compound that gives garlic its pungent taste.
1
Onion
Onions are often used as a flavoring agent in savory dishes and are a key ingredient in many international cuisines, such as French, Indian, and Chinese.
2
Peppers
Perhaps the most well-known pungent foods, peppers, and chilies owe this reputation to a compound called capsaicin which gives them their pungent flavor.
3
Mustard
Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of the mustard plant. It's been used for thousands of years as a food preservative.
4
Ginger
Ginger owes its pungent, bitter, and intense flavor to compounds called gingerols and shogaols. These compounds interact with the taste buds on the tongue to provide a spicy sensation.
5
Turmeric
Turmeric is a popular spice, especially in Eastern cuisine. It has a distinctive, pungent flavor used to add depth and flavor
to dishes.
6
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice used in different foods, including desserts, drinks, and savory dishes. Cinnamon is pungent because it contains cinnamaldehyde, for its characteristic flavor and aroma.
7
Cloves
Cloves are also used in many spice blends, such as dukka, baharat, and pumpkin spice. Cloves have a sharp and potent taste that is also sweet.
8
Final thoughts
Most pungent foods are widely consumed worldwide. They usually have a unique flavor that is strong and potent, due to their special compounds.