While it’s a common cooking ingredient and enjoyed by many, some people simply can’t stand cilantro (also called coriander). In 2012, a study found an association between disliking cilantro and having a variation in a specific olfactory receptor – one of the genes that’s responsible for detecting scents. But there’s a little more to the story than that.
Let’s get into why cilantro tastes bitter and soapy to some people, rather than fresh and citrusy. Keep reading to learn more about the role of genetics in food preferences.
Why cilantro tastes like soap to some people
If you think cilantro tastes bad, this may be due to a few different factors. For starters, sensitivity to flavors and smells can vary a lot from person to person. Some of that variation is likely genetic. In addition to the 2012 cilantro study, other studies have found similar connections between other receptor gene variants and flavors or smells.
Although genetics plays a role in liking or disliking certain foods, your environment can also affect your perception of flavors and smells. Factors like smoking, chemical exposure, health conditions and certain medications can all affect your sense of taste. Your past experiences with a food can also have an impact. If you found cilantro disgusting the first time you tasted it, you probably haven’t tasted it often since. And when you do, the memory of it tasting bad can weigh on the present moment.
It’s also worth noting that your tastes can change over time. We start to lose sensitivity to certain flavors around our 40s or 50s. In addition, repeated exposure to certain foods or flavors can change how you perceive them. This may explain why cultures known for using cilantro in their cuisine seem to have fewer people who dislike it (we get into that more later on). It could also explain why some people change their minds about cilantro despite disliking it earlier in life.
There are multiple suspects for the “cilantro soap gene”
So, which genes are responsible for the soapy cilantro taste? There are at least four different receptor gene variations which may cause cilantro to taste unpleasant:
- GNAT3 detects sweet, bitter and umami flavors.
- OR6A2 helps detect soapy smells.
- TAS2R50 plays a role in perceiving bitter flavors.
- TRPA1 detects pungent substances such as those in wasabi, mustard, horseradish and chili peppers.
The variety of receptors activated by cilantro (more specifically, the natural chemicals it contains) may help explain why some people more readily change their mind about cilantro than others. Someone with only one variant might not enjoy the taste of cilantro but not find the flavor so bad it ruins a dish. Meanwhile, someone who has a few of these gene variants may not be able to stand cilantro at all.
Cilantro aversion varies by background
Cilantro aversion seems to be less common in people from cultures known for using it in their cuisine. One study reported that the overall rate of dislike ranges from 3-21%, with people of European or East Asian descent being more averse, and people of Middle Eastern, Hispanic or South Asian descent being least averse.
Another study specifically asked participants whether cilantro tasted soapy. Twelve to 14% of people with European or Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry answered “yes,” compared to about 9% of people with African-American, Latino or East Asian ancestry, and just around 4% of people with South Asian ancestry.
Do you have the “cilantro soap gene”? Find out.
If you hate cilantro and want to know whether your genetics are playing a role, genetic screening may help. Our community research program, myGenetics, uses DNA testing to screen for a variety of genetic traits and risk factors. Not only can you learn how your genetics affect flavor perceptions and other food-related sensitivities, but you can also find out if you’re genetically predisposed to certain health conditions like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, Lynch syndrome and hereditary high cholesterol. There’s no cost to participate, and health insurance is not required.
