Cilantro-phobia~Why cilantro tastes like dish soap to some (not to me)

[Denim Deb]

I made salsa once. It was delicious-until I added cilantro to it. No one in the family liked it. Never again. I hate it when I eat out, and it's added to a food.

 

[gettinaclue]

I am one who absolutely cannot eat cilantro. Even the most microscopic bit will contaminate an entire dish for me. I would be better off biting off a chunk of soap or drinking dish washing liquid it is so strong. If some one uses a cutting board to cut cilantro and then prepares something else on the same cutting board without washing it, I cannot eat that food. You can blind fold me and it won't matter. It is a nasty experience every time.

For me, it is very difficult to go out to eat since cilantro is now used every where and also as a garnish and regular folk simply cannot understand what the problem is. You can just see the rolling eyeballs.

I would never be able to train myself to eat it and believe me I would if I could, to avoid the many ruined dinners I have ordered. And yes the smell of fresh cilantro is overpowering as well, and I have a very poor sense of smell. If I owned a restaurant, I would never have this on the menu as it is so offensive when someone has the gene. About 10-20% of the population I think; not sure.

Exactly what she said about the smallest bit contaminating the whole meal. Ugh!!! I love mexican food and I can't get good food without the dreaded and hated cilantro. BLECK!!!

 

[Natalie's Nesters]

Yuck. The stuff makes me instantly sick, one speck will do it!

 

[Marianne]

I can't stand the stuff, either. My sons love it. They lived in CA and it seems to be in about every dish out there.

 

[JRmom]

Ha! I know this answer! Only because my mom and sister are geeks though. It has to do with where our ancestors came from. Like back in the hunter gatherer times. Say my roots are from the pacific coast and yours are from the east coast. Over here there is something that looks like cilantro but is poison. Over there is just yummy cilantro. My ancestors taste buds developed a soapy taste to be associated with the cilantro to stop us from eating it and dying. Your ancestors taste buds developed a wonderfully awesome taste to keep you eating more of the deliciosity. There is actually a teste that my mom and sis took about this. They put a strip of disingrating paper on their tongue three things could happen. One result was no taste, another was a sweet taste and the third was a bitter taste. Each taste signified a different region of origin. My mom and sis both got bitter. My sis told me that it meant we were from Africa. Odd, I know that we have African in our past but my mom is from Puerto Rico. I guess the genetics is a bit of a mutt there. So if you can't eat cilantro blame your genetics. Don't worry, I'll eat some for you.

Very interesting!!

Wow, I've never heard of anyone thinking it tastes "soapy". Interesting. I love the stuff and can't get enough of homemade salsa loaded up with cilantro in the summer.

 

[Wifezilla]

I grow lots of cilantro so I can use it in my fermented salsa recipes. It's getting to be salsa season again and I can't wait

 

[Javamama]

It tastes like soap to me too

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Nom nom nom!!
As pesto, in salsa, cheesy black beans, spanish rice, salads, yummy yum!
Interesting read BBH

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I love it!!! My mom and sister both hate it though.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Ha! I know this answer! Only because my mom and sister are geeks though. It has to do with where our ancestors came from. Like back in the hunter gatherer times. Say my roots are from the pacific coast and yours are from the east coast. Over here there is something that looks like cilantro but is poison. Over there is just yummy cilantro. My ancestors taste buds developed a soapy taste to be associated with the cilantro to stop us from eating it and dying. Your ancestors taste buds developed a wonderfully awesome taste to keep you eating more of the deliciosity. There is actually a teste that my mom and sis took about this. They put a strip of disingrating paper on their tongue three things could happen. One result was no taste, another was a sweet taste and the third was a bitter taste. Each taste signified a different region of origin. My mom and sis both got bitter. My sis told me that it meant we were from Africa. Odd, I know that we have African in our past but my mom is from Puerto Rico. I guess the genetics is a bit of a mutt there. So if you can't eat cilantro blame your genetics. Don't worry, I'll eat some for you.

I remember that strip test in 10th grade bio... it tasted like bugspray to me lol