Americans Voted Louisiana Cuisine 'Spiciest' in New National Survey

Road-trippin' your way down to Louisiana is sure to be hot.

• Recently conducted TUMS survey shows Americans think Louisiana's cuisine is spiciest overall
• 41 percent of Americans chose Louisiana as the heat capital of American cuisine, followed by Texas and New Mexico
• Vermont, North Dakota, and Montana were ranked the mildest

Balmy weather aside, it looks like Louisiana is the hottest state in America— at least when it comes to spicy food. In a survey of 5,000 Americas, TUMS (yeah, that heartburn-killing chewable we've all needed at one point or another) found that 63 percent of respondents are looking forward to eating meals this summer that they weren't able to enjoy during the past year's pandemic. And guess what? That means road trips. Roadtrips to spicy-state destinations like Louisiana are in higher demand than ever, too.

New Orleans, LouisianaRobson Hatsukami Morgan

The brand also found that Americans are certainly united in their love of spicy foods. Tacos take the crown for Americans' favorite spicy food, with 46 percent of respondents naming it as such, followed by salsa (41 percent), Buffalo hot wings (37 percent), and chili (37 percent). However, pizza is the food for which Americans are most willing to endure heartburn. Who can blame them? We've all been there, and it's nobody's fault the siren song of cheese is just so irresistible.

Some other excitingly spicy findings from the survey include Louisiana being ranked top for spicy cuisine. Louisiana pulled in a whopping 42 percent of the vote, followed by Texas at 31 percent, and then New Mexico at a still-respectable 25 percent. California and Arizona followed, but weren't top three. Conversely, Vermont was ranked the least-spicy (there's not much spice to maple syrup, is there?), followed by North Dakota, and then Montana.

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The wildest part? As much as 44 percent of Americans think they can tolerate spicy foods better than most— even when they're seeking heat thrills in famously spicy cities like New Orleans. Another 37 percent of Americans consider themselves to be "spicy food aficionados." Really.

What's more surprising is that Louisiana's tacos were ranked among the state's spiciest dishes, along with more expected menu items like gumbo, muffuletta sandwiches, and crawfish étouffée. Po'boy sandwiches were also close runners-up in the Louisiana spicy dishes game, obviously, and it's just about impossible to pick favorites.

Gumbo with spicy Louisiana sausageInstagram/dances_with_knives

To help keep the spice trip going, TUMS is giving 25 lucky winners each week Autoburn Road Trip Kits filled with essentials to fuels their red hot road trip adventures through hot-sauce-covered cities like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport. The sweeps stars this July 23, and at the end, five additional winners will be selected to receive a travel cooler, along with a grand prize winner who will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for four to New York City to meet with hot food expert Sean Evans.

"We have all been counting down the days until we could reunite with the people we cherish over the food we crave," says Amy Sharon, Director at TUMS. "Our survey found that 36 percent of Americans avoid spicy food because it gives them heartburn, but after the past year, we aren't about to allow something like heartburn stand in the way of anyone's good time. That's why we are encouraging Americans to dial up the heat this summer and make it one to remember."

For a shot at the "hot," fans can head to TUMSAutoburn.com and fill out the entry form, where they will be prompted to submit a photo showing how they are spicing up their summer – and their plates – with friends and family.

Do you agree Louisiana has some of America's spiciest dishes? We'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below.