Why Does Cilantro Taste Like Soap to Some People?
Whether cilantro tastes fresh and citrusy or horribly soapy largely comes down to genetics. For most people, cilantro (the leaves of the coriander plant) has a pleasing combination of flavors reminiscent of parsley and citrus. But for others—including, famously, the chef Julia Child—the herb is revoltingly soaplike.
Of course some of people’s dislike may come down to simple preference, but genetics strongly influence whether someone experiences cilantro as enjoyable or unpleasant. The difference appears to be linked to variations in a group of olfactory-receptor genes. People with these variants 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 percent 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.
