Why Cilantro Tastes Like Soap

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.

The image shows a bowl of cilantro beside text explaining that some people genetically perceive soapy-flavored aldehydes in cilantro leaves. The joke is that cilantro haters are not merely being picky—the herb genuinely tastes like soap to them because of their genes, making this useful as a reaction from someone who cannot stand cilantro. EN: The image shows a bowl of cilantro beside text explaining that some people genetically perceive soapy-flavored aldehydes in cilantro leaves. The joke is that cilantro haters are not merely being picky—the herb genuinely tastes like soap to them because of their genes, making this useful as a reaction from someone who cannot stand cilantro.

• @eternalclassic / 1614 2021-10-18