Cilantro is a common ingredient in Mexican food, but it’s not to everybody’s taste. In some cases, it’s really not to their taste. There is a small percentage of the population—somewhere between 4 and 14%—who think cilantro tastes like soap. If you’re one of these people, the mere sight of cilantro is enough to put you off. However, if you’re part of the majority who doesn’t experience cilantro as having a soapy flavor, you don’t understand what the problem is.
But why do some people think cilantro tastes like soap? Let’s find out why some people have an aversion to this common ingredient in Mexican food.
It’s Genetic
The short answer is that it’s genetic. Some people have certain smell-receptor gene clusters that make them more sensitive to particular chemical compounds. One of these compounds is aldehyde, which is present in cilantro and is also found in soap. Because your sense of smell has a strong connection to your sense of taste, having these smell receptors will emphasize the soapy flavor of the aldehyde compound.
There’s Variation
Not everyone who has the “cilantro soap gene” dislikes cilantro. The soapy flavor can seem stronger to some people than others. There is more than one smell-receptor gene cluster that is sensitive to aldehydes, and not everyone who has them has all of them. People who have fewer gene clusters will experience a less intense taste, making cilantro tolerable to them.
A Matter of Taste
If cilantro tastes soapy to you, you’re not doomed to never enjoy Mexican food that includes it. The stems of the plants have a less intense flavor than the leaves, and cooking cilantro also greatly reduces its flavor. Some people with the gene like cilantro anyway, despite its soapiness. If you have positive associations with eating cilantro, the flavor may not bother you. Other people find they accustom their tastebuds to it by gradually increasing the amount each time they cook with it or put it on their food.
Authentic Mexican Food | Los Reyes Street Tacos
If you’re someone who thinks cilantro tastes like soap, you can still enjoy Mexican food at Los Reyes! While you’ll find it on many of our menu items, it’s not on everything. And who knows, you may find that you come to like it over time!
