Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly cut herbs? They brighten up any recipe and add a fresh burst of flavor to even the simplest dish.
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But there’s one aromatic leaf that can produce a distinctly negative reaction — coriandrum satvium — commonly known as cilantro.
According to family specialist Neha Vyas, MD, cilantro is one of the most polarizing herbs people use in modern cooking.
Around since the second millennium BCE, many cuisines use cilantro in all its forms — fruits, leaves and stems. From Roman to Chinese, Thai and Mexican to Indian cuisines, cilantro lovers everywhere know it’s a necessary ingredient to make meals pop. The seeds of the cilantro plant, for example, (also known as coriander) are a major ingredient in a variety of Indian dishes. And no Tex-Mex salsa is complete without the aromatic cilantro leaf in its mix.
But for some people the aroma and taste of cilantro elicits a very strong negative reaction. Some say cilantro tastes like soap. For others it’s dead bugs (yes, it’s been commonly described that way — for real). So how can something so common in our kitchens be so divisive?
The hate, it seems, stems from the chemicals inside cilantro and a variation in olfactory receptor genes that some people have. These individuals say that cilantro smells pungent and leaves a rather soapy taste in the mouth. This is different from the strong citrus notes that others taste.
Why cilantro tastes like soap for some
“It may surprise you to learn that those who dislike cilantro tend to have a gene that detects the aldehyde part of cilantro as a soapy smell and taste,” Dr. Vyas says.
Aldehydes are organic materials that possess a distinct chemical structure. The pairing of a carbon atom with an oxygen atom leaves room for two more bonds. If one of those bonds is with a hydrogen atom it’s called an aldehyde. If neither of the bonds is with hydrogen, it becomes a ketone.
The difference may be small at the molecular level, but has large implications at the olfactory (smell) level. 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.
On the flip side, one of the most famous perfumes ever invented uses synthetic aldehydes in high volumes. Chanel No. 5, a very distinct and popular perfume, contains a number of synthetic aldehydes to deliberately gear up your olfactory system.
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.
What’s even more interesting, according to the study, women are more likely to detect a soapy taste and dislike cilantro. And African-Americans, Latinos, East Asians and South Asians are significantly less likely to detect a soapy taste when compared with Europeans.
But unlike other fixed genetic outcomes such as eye color or hair color, your cilantro preference can also be changed by environmental factors.
Why Does Coriander & Cilantro Taste Bad?
FAQ
Why does cilantro smell weird?
Is cilantro supposed to smell?
Why do some people hate cilantro?
How can you tell if cilantro is bad?
Why does cilantro taste bad?
Yes, genetics. People who report that “cilantro tastes bad” have a variation of olfactory-receptor genes that allows them to detect aldehydes —a compound found in cilantro that is also a by-product of soap and part of the chemical makeup of fluids sprayed by some bugs. This is why cilantrophobes liken the taste of cilantro to soap or stink bugs.
What makes cilantro smell different?
“Flavor chemists have found that cilantro aroma is created by a half-dozen or so substances, and most of these are modified fragments of fat molecules called aldehydes. The same or similar aldehydes are also found in soaps and lotions and the bug family of insects.”
Why does cilantro smell like soap?
McGee explains that certain fragments of fat molecules called aldehydes are responsible for creating the aroma of cilantro. And, it seems those same aldehydes are a byproduct of the process of producing soaps.
Why do people hate cilantro?
It may surprise you to learn that people who dislike cilantro tend to have a gene that detects the aldehyde part of cilantro as a soapy smell and taste, But whether you love it or hate it, cilantro has many health benefits.