Blame it on your genes — and your surroundings Some people possess a gene that makes them super-sensitive to the aldehyde component found in cilantro and other foods and products. One study noted a very specific genetic link near the olfactory center of DNA in about 10% of those with cilantro aversion.
"It is estimated that 4 to 14 percent of the U.S. population has this genetic variation, making cilantro taste like soap," says Chef Brooke Baevsky, a manager in product development at Freshly. "For everyone else, the leafy green tastes like a fresh herb."
Get used to it!
If you're interested in seeing whether you can get over your cilantro aversion, it's certainly possible. Just ask the neuroscientist in McGee's piece, who also happens to be an expert in smell. McGee notes that crushing cilantro may help eliminate its more soapy aroma substances.
The general consensus among cilantro haters is that the herb tastes soapy, which is the case for about 4 to 14 percent of the population — famously including Julia Child and Ina Garten.
Cilantro haters are a vocal bunch (an estimated 4-14% of the population), so against the herb that they can't even bear the tiniest taste. And yet, do we know why?
In the 23andMe study, we found that 14-21 percent of people of East Asian, African, and Caucasian ancestry disliked cilantro while only 3-to-7 percent of those who identified as South Asian, Hispanic, or Middle Eastern disliked it.
Of course some of this dislike may come down to simple preference, but for those cilantro-haters for whom the plant tastes like soap, the issue is genetic. These people have a variation in a group of olfactory-receptor genes that allows them to strongly perceive the soapy-flavored aldehydes in cilantro leaves.
Good News: You Can Actually Train Yourself to Like Cilantro
But bitter isn't necessarily a "safe" taste. A lot of potentially harmful foods are bitter, so your initial reaction to them might be less than positive.
Clinical significance. Variation in the OR6A2 gene has been identified as a likely cause of why some people enjoy the smell and taste of coriander (also known as cilantro) while others have exactly the opposite reaction to the point of repulsion.
Cilantro is said to have a fresh, citrusy, and/or soapy taste — depending on who you ask — and is also called Chinese parsley. Its seeds, on the other hand, are often referred to as coriander, which is a nutty- and spicy-tasting spice.
Super-tasters have many more visible taste papillae than tasters and non-tasters. This is illustrated in the figure below. This means they have many more taste cells with receptors for bitter taste. Super-tasters are also more sensitive to sweet, salty and umami tastes, but to a lesser extent (10).
Punch a standard notebook hole into a clean piece of plastic or wax paper and put it on the front part of your tongue. Then, count the bigger taste buds—called papilla. It's actually pretty tricky to spot, so if you want to be more accurate, be sure to drink some red wine beforehand to stain your tongue.
Nicholas Eriksson (leader of the 23andMe and Cornell studies) tells NPR that humans' genetic coding for OR6A2 isn't so strong that it cannot be overridden. To trick yourself into liking cilantro, start by crushing the leaves before you use them.
Cilantro, famously, is a turn off for supertasters. They taste the bitterness in it that others do not. Supertasters are very averse to any kind of bitter tastes.
Coriander (cilantro) leaves are used as a flavoring agent in varied cuisines. However, this popular herb has divided people into two camps—those who like it and those who do not. Coriander lovers say it has a fresh citrus taste with a strong aroma, while the haters say it has a soapy taste and a pungent smell.
When people say they hate cilantro, they often attribute this food feeling to a soapy aftertaste. Thanks to a video from SciShow, we finally know why cilantro tastes like soap for some 4-14 percent of the population. “How cilantro tastes to you has a lot to do with your genes,” says SciShow's Hank Green.
So how common is it to hate cilantro? According to one study, it can vary widely depending on your ethnic background, but the answer lies somewhere between 4-21% of the population.
But why is coriander so divisive? Some people love it for its unique taste, while others hate it for its distinctive flavour, sometimes described as 'soapy' or 'sticky'. This split in taste perception can be explained by biological and genetic reasons, cultural differences and personal experiences.
The novel properties of cilantro make it a tasty, citrus-like herb as well as a source of anxiety relief, heavy-metal elimination, blood-sugar reduction, and defense against infection. Scientifically reviewed by: Holli Ryan, RD, LD/N, in March 2021.
Since cilantro and parsley come from the same family, parsley is the best substitute when you want a similar taste to cilantro. There are two main types of parsley: Italian flat leaf parsley and curly parsley. These are the two you are most likely to find in the produce aisle of the grocery store.
Coriander's flavour profile is made up of several different chemicals (most of them aldehydes), some of which have a distinctive 'soapy' flavour. It's thought that people with the 'soapy' OR6A2 receptor gene variant can detect these soapy chemicals, while those without that particular gene variant cannot.
Bleeding disorders: Cilantro might slow blood clotting. There is concern that cilantro might increase the risk of bleeding in people with bleeding disorders when eaten in large amounts. Surgery: Cilantro might slow blood clotting.
It's suspected that a dislike for cilantro is largely driven by the smell (and smell is directly linked to how we taste.) “Think back to grade school science lab and formaldehyde and you can see why some people have such a negative reaction to aldehydes,” she says.
Cilantro and Coriander come from the same plant, Coriandrum sativum. In the US, the leaves are called Cilantro, while the dried seeds are called Coriander. In the UK and other European countries, both the dried seeds and leaves are known as Coriander.