Why Cilantro Tastes Like Soap To Some People—And How You Can Learn To Like It
I'm not really a person who suffers from FOMO, but when it comes to food, things are a bit different. If there's something new and exciting on the menu , I want to try it. If something is going viral online, I'm ordering it up. And when it comes to cilantro, well, I fear I am missing out. You see, I'm one of the many people for whom cilantro tastes distinctly soapy—a reaction that can be influenced by genetics.
While I can't say I know what soap tastes like, I do often say that, to me, cilantro tastes more like a chemical than an herb . In small quantities, it doesn't truly bother me, but if it's taking over a dish, count me out. That means a fresh chimichurri sauce loaded with cilantro is completely off the table for me—something I'm truly sad about. Friends tell me it is such a refreshing, aromatic herb, and I always thought I was destined to go through life never knowing how it tastes to others. But recently, I discovered things that may not necessarily be the case.
But first, let's look at how genetics can influence cilantro's flavor in the first place.
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Why Does Cilantro Taste Like Soap To Some People?
According to Dr. William Li, genetics can play a role in why some people experience cilantro as "soapy," and much of that reaction comes down to how its aroma is perceived.
"The substances in cilantro that are interpreted by the nose as a scent are chemicals called aldehydes. Depending on your gene profile, these cilantro aldehydes can smell fresh and citrusy, or pungent and soap-like," Dr. Li explains.
Research has linked the soapy perception to a genetic variant near a group of olfactory-receptor genes that includes OR6A2, which is particularly sensitive to some of those aldehydes. But genetics may not be solely to blame for your dislike of cilantro.
John Hayes, PhD , Professor of Food Science and Director of the Sensory Evaluation Center at Penn State College of Agricultural Science, says our enjoyment of different smells and foods is also shaped by far more than DNA.
"This means that whether or not we enjoy a specific food often depends on our cultural background or past culinary experiences, as well as personality traits like sensation-seeking or novelty-seeking," he says.
"It also suggests that some people may still like cilantro despite it being soapy, if they come from a culture that regularly consumes it, while others who do not find it soapy may still dislike it, due to a lack of familiarity," he continues.
In other words, having a genetic predisposition to detect cilantro's soapier notes doesn't automatically determine whether you'll hate it.
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Can You Learn To Like Cilantro?
As Dr. Li so succinctly puts it, "Genetics are not destiny." So if you're one of the people who doesn't like cilantro, your current relationship with the herb may not necessarily be permanent.
"While genetics can influence how you perceive the scent of cilantro, being exposed repeatedly to cilantro can help you become accustomed to its flavor," Dr. Li says.
Dr. Hayes says there are several ways our preferences can change over time, including repeated exposure, social valuation (aka affirmation by parents or friends), and pharmacological rewards (like the reinforcing effects of caffeine in black coffee).
Unfortunately, there's no way to say how long this might take. It could take anywhere from weeks to years—everyone is different, and Dr. Li cautions that some people may never become accustomed to it.
"We don't all have the same experience to the same food, and that is okay," Dr. Li says. "It's part of the joy of being human—we are all a little bit different. It is less about aversion and more about individuality when it comes to cilantro."
I have graciously accepted cilantro as it appears sporadically in my guacamole , but even throughout my lifetime, I still have to diligently pick it out of a bowl of pho or brush it aside when it comes as a garnish on any plate. There may be no hope for me... but I'll keep trying.
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