Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), aka coriander, Chinese parsley, and Mexican parsley (per MasterClass), grows all around the world and is used in a variety of cuisines — from Mexican and Indian to South and Southwest Asian to Middle Eastern. Coriander seeds are often dried and used as a citrusy spice, while the cilantro stems and leaves are used as a garnish, for sauces, and in every manner of dish. Yet, cilantro is a polarizing herb, with some people even using the word “hate” to describe how they feel about it.
Its true, there exists a group of people who despise cilantro and vehemently insist on its place on the floor rather than the dinner plate. Famed chef Julia Child herself was one such opponent of the herb, describing it as having a “dead taste” (via The Kitchn), while others, according to Allrecipes, say cilantro tastes like soap and leaves a strange inedible aftertaste.
As many as one in five people says that coriander has a soapy taste. This is likely to be due to a super-sensitivity to chemicals called aldehydes, which are present in coriander and are also used to perfume soaps and detergents.
Its true, there exists a group of people who despise cilantro and vehemently insist on its place on the floor rather than the dinner plate. Famed chef Julia Child herself was one such opponent of the herb, describing it as having a “dead taste” (via The Kitchn), while others, according to Allrecipes, say cilantro tastes like soap and leaves a strange inedible aftertaste.
OR6A2 induces olfactory functions in people that make them more susceptible to aldehydes, a class of chemical compound that is also used in many soaps and perfume scents. Thus the correlation in peoples minds between aldehyde-producing cilantro and soap, potentially explaining the general sense of disgust when cilantro finds its way into their food. The study stated this makes OR6A2 “a compelling candidate gene for the detection of odors that give cilantro its divisive flavor.”
Nature notes there have been several other studies linking a dislike in cilantro and other genes that assist in the detection of bitter tastes, notably research done by Lillie Maur at the University of Toronto and a decade-old genetics analysis study published in Chemical Senses. This seems to indicate that OR6A2 may not be the only deciding factor in cilantro preference, and in fact the subjectivity of preference may inherently be difficult to measure. Even Eriksson and his team calculated that less than 10% of cilantro preference was conclusively linked to any sort of common genetic variants.
It seems the reason why cilantro tastes like soap to some people may have to do with genetics. According to the journal Nature, Nicholas Eriksson at the consumer genetics firm 23andMe tested peoples perceptions and preference of the herb cilantro and then compared certain genes that they knew were responsible for influencing taste and smell. Of their findings, which were published in the peer-reviewed journal Flavour, the gene OR6A2, found in a cluster of genes responsible for olfactory senses, seemed to have the highest correlation to the soapy taste of cilantro in subjects.
Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), aka coriander, Chinese parsley, and Mexican parsley (per MasterClass), grows all around the world and is used in a variety of cuisines — from Mexican and Indian to South and Southwest Asian to Middle Eastern. Coriander seeds are often dried and used as a citrusy spice, while the cilantro stems and leaves are used as a garnish, for sauces, and in every manner of dish. Yet, cilantro is a polarizing herb, with some people even using the word “hate” to describe how they feel about it.
Cilantro (aka the leaves of the coriander plant) is a tasty herb to most people. A pleasing combination of flavors reminiscent of parsley and citrus, the herb is a common ingredient in many cuisines around the world. However, some people find cilantro revolting, including, famously, the chef Julia Child. 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. This genetic quirk is usually only found in a small percent of the population, though it varies geographically. Interestingly, places where cilantro is especially popular, such as Central America and India, have fewer people with these genes, which might explain how the herb was able to become such a mainstay in those regions. East Asians have the highest incidence of this variation, with some studies showing that nearly 20% of the population experiences soapy-tasting cilantro. There is some evidence that cilantrophobes can overcome their aversion with repeated exposure to the herb, especially if it is crushed rather than served whole, but many people simply choose to go with their genetic inclinations and avoid its soapiness altogether.
Why Does Cilantro Taste Like Soap?
FAQ
What does coriander seeds taste like?
Does coriander taste like soap?
What seed tastes like soap?
How do you make cilantro not taste like soap?
Can I eat coriander seeds instead of leaves?
You can eat both the coriander seeds and the leaves. While this is from the same plant, coriander seeds and leaves taste differently. Coriander seeds have a good flavor profile that can add a lot of complexity of the dish you are making. The coriander leaves have a very strong flavor that is often over powering, so much so that some people actually have an aversion to it.
Why does coriander taste bad?
They’re not just being melodramatic or picky — a handful of genetic quirks are the reason why coriander tastes bad for 4% to 14% of the world’s population. “The message the taste sends to me when I eat it is: ‘This is not supposed to be eaten,’” a friend explains to me as she bypasses a dish with a coriander garnish.
Does coriander add flavor?
Coriander, that ubiquitous Indian ingredient, is innocuous. It’s always there, like the auntie at every family gathering, who only speaks up when she has something nice to say. Does it add flavor? Sure — but not a profound one. Except for some people, for whom the auntie saves her veiled, backward compliments.