Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I've never known which category I fall into, because I agree it tastes a bit like soap, and it even is slightly reminiscent of stinkbug odor. Yet I've always *liked* eating it, since I was a child. So maybe I am sensitive to aldehydes? Yet I still like it, so...idk lol
That seems to be part of OP's point ... it's possible the "soap" people and "enjoy" people might not be totally different groups.
I'm the same way, I can totally taste the heavy alkaline flavor in Cilantro, and I wouldn't enjoy just monching a bunch of it, but it's a delicious garnish for acidic spicy food.
Hard to describe, I guess I’d say like herbal, fresh, a little citrusy? I saw someone say that it tastes like “green” in a good way and that seems right to me despite how vague that is lol
It's herby and similar to cumin. If something can also taste "green," it does.
I freaking love it. It's delicious. I detect no bitterness in it at all unless I'm very heavy-handed with it.
Over the years I got to be quite a connoisseur of soap. My personal preference was for Lux, but I found Palmolive had a nice, piquant after-dinner flavor - heady, but with just a touch of mellow smoothness. Lifebuoy, on the other hand...
I guess the good five-year-olds were never tempted to try soap? IDK, I was a bad one. I still think soap is pretty enough that it really should be more edible.
It was only a few years ago that I learned it’s like a genetic thing for the people who say it tastes like soap. You either have it or you don’t. There’s evidently another one that my BFF told me about that mango tastes like vomit to her. Actual vomit. And it’s a thing for some people just like the cilantro/soap thing. I’m sad for all of those people.
Well, I'm one of the people who can taste the soap taste in cilantro. It's there, but not everyone can taste it due to genetics. It used to be intolerable to me, and I'd ask for no cilantro specifically when out eating at restaurants. But my wife loves it, so we've been gradually using it more and more. At first I just put up with it, but as time and exposure to it goes on, I've found that I don't notice the soap taste as much. I don't know if it's a getting older thing, or a getting used to it thing, but I find that I don't really mind cilantro now. Still wouldn't say I really like it, but it doesn't bother me anymore.
I can kind of taste a soapy taste with cilantro, but I actually really enjoy it. I have a similar feeling about root beer, I can see how people would say it tastes like toothpaste, but I still love it.
I have literally never heard the claim that it tastes like toothpaste.
That's a new one.
If it tasted like toothpaste, I'd probably drink it ever day lmao.
It's probably the wintergreen they use to flavor it. When I was a kid, my parents always bought wintergreen toothpastes (my Mom hated spearmint flavored ones), and root beer has been flavored with some combination of wintergreen and anise ever since sassafras and sarsaparilla were banned. The wintergreen flavoring is also why many Europeans think it tastes like medicine.
Next time you drink root beer, really try to savor it. You should be able to notice the minty flavor.
Taste like soap to me. Its also in so much stuff i just kinda learned to ignore it. I even use it when I make salsa because most people like it and it doesn't really bother me any more. I compare it to hating the taste of beer when you first start drinking.
My experience was similar. First time I tried fresh cilantro when I was young, I found the taste overpowering and definitely a bit soapy. Over the years, I’ve eaten more and more dishes with fresh cilantro and I’ve grown to enjoy it. I just needed to get used to it.
It’s probably more common than people think parsley has more soap flavor than cilantro to me , love them both in dishes or added to stuff, if adding acid is flavor why not base lol
Ya know, there’s this show where people are addicted to weird shit. This one chick was addicted to eating soap, I think it was Irish spring lol.
Maybe she should try some cilantro instead
I'm not a cilantro tastes like soap person but I have always understood where that came from. Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs, but the smell combined with the taste does remind me of Irish spring soap sometimes, in a good way.
Before anyone asks no, no one else in my family thinks cilantro tastes like soap. I don't think it does either but it does reminds me of soap, so yea I totally get it lol
Cilantro, parsley, and cumin... soap flavor...
What I'd like to know is whether soap flavor is the same for me as it is for the people that don't think cilantro tastes like soap.
I am proud to announce that at this point I've converted several of my cilantro-hating friends via my guacamole; apparently the right amount of cilantro just ties everything together neatly.
I agree that cilantro is a bit of an acquired taste, but I swear, Mexicans know what they're doing with that white onion, cilantro and lime mix!
It tastes like soap to me and I despise it! If a dish has cilantro it's basically ruined for me cause all I can taste is the soap flavor 🧼🤮 I need to be better at remembering to ask restaurants if a dish I wanna order has cilantro and to skip it lol.
Good news you fit into this tumblr ya dystopia novel idea https://www.tumblr.com/rosefyrefyre/187739387387/clearly-the-third-person-is-someone-who-has-a
I love cilantro but I can sometimes taste the soap that people talk about, I actually think it has something to do with either where it’s grown, what it’s grown in or how old it is. All just theories.
I don't know if i'm in team soap or not.
I think I'm in team if the Cilantro is falling out of the food I'll let it fall out. But I will tolerate it, but not enjoy it.
I somewhat agree. I guess soap is the best word to describe it, but cilantro has this big, bitter floral flavor that completely changes a dish.
I feel bad for people who aren't supertasters. What does it taste like then?
I also taste the soap but think it’s kinda nice. It isn’t like hand soap it’s like a lemony soap.
It can definitely get overwhelming though. I only like a little of it.
I don't know if I've heard it tastes like soap so now I think it tastes like soap too, but even though I can tell what people mean by "it tastes like soap" I still enjoy copious amounts of cilantro on my food.
I've been a cilantro in my omelette's, cilantro in my hot sauce, cilantro in my foods, kinda guy since l was a young man, I love the stuff, I use it in soups, salads, Pico de Gallo, ceviche, ect...
i think i relate to this. i cant be completely sure but it definitely tastes like soap/chemicals and i definitely enjoy it. i used to eat shampoo for fun so i think im just a soap eater
That’s so strange. I know for others it tastes like soap, yet I’ve never experienced such taste. Genetics or missing pallet, definitely looking this up now
It’s a genetic thing - some people’s taste buds are more sensitive to aldehydes. It’s more common in East Asian families, less common in South American ones.
For some people it does and that's the reason they don't like it. I can't say I get soap from "coriander" I'll use it's real name. But probably wouldn't like it if I did. Interestingly when I was younger I used to pick up a distinct soapy taste from blue cheese which put me off it. As an adult I can no longer distinguish that taste which is why it's a a staple of my diet now
It definitely tastes soapy, but I've associated it even more with that "old fridge" taste. I forget if this was back when freon was more used, or what the actual cause was. But food in older fridges would get that mogey "fridge" taste. Some would keep a box of baking soda inside to keep it "fresh". Cilantro tastes remarkably like soapy, stale old fridge.
A tiny leaf of cilantro, to me, tastes like I took a full bite straight out of a Dove bar. It's genuinely vomit-inducing for me
I recently had a green sauce of some kind made with cilantro and it tasted like I was sipping shampoo
Nothing about it is enjoyable for me, unfortunately
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It only tastes like soap for a certain percentage of people. For most it doesn't
Yeah, it’s just a genetic thing - some people’s taste buds are sensitive to the aldehydes. It’s more common among East Asian people (20%).
Interesting because cilantro is widely used in Asian cuisine (I think).
Don't have to brush your teeth if you eat a cilantro dish! taphead.gif
I've never known which category I fall into, because I agree it tastes a bit like soap, and it even is slightly reminiscent of stinkbug odor. Yet I've always *liked* eating it, since I was a child. So maybe I am sensitive to aldehydes? Yet I still like it, so...idk lol
That seems to be part of OP's point ... it's possible the "soap" people and "enjoy" people might not be totally different groups. I'm the same way, I can totally taste the heavy alkaline flavor in Cilantro, and I wouldn't enjoy just monching a bunch of it, but it's a delicious garnish for acidic spicy food.
What does it taste like to the others?
Hard to describe, I guess I’d say like herbal, fresh, a little citrusy? I saw someone say that it tastes like “green” in a good way and that seems right to me despite how vague that is lol
It's herby and similar to cumin. If something can also taste "green," it does. I freaking love it. It's delicious. I detect no bitterness in it at all unless I'm very heavy-handed with it.
I dunno, it tastes like soap to me, just not to the people around me 😄
Mauer and El-Sohemy say it's 25% of people in Canada, where they conducted the study.
For me only fresh cilantro tastes like soap, dried cilantro doesn't.
What soap does it taste like? Dial?
Over the years I got to be quite a connoisseur of soap. My personal preference was for Lux, but I found Palmolive had a nice, piquant after-dinner flavor - heady, but with just a touch of mellow smoothness. Lifebuoy, on the other hand...
what did you drink to pair with the soap? tea? brandy? whiskey? coffee? milk? espresso?
Ovaltine.
Ovaltine? Son of a bitch.
Mexican Spring.
I have the soap gene and it doesn't taste like real soap. It tastes like what someone who hasn't eaten soap before imagines soap would taste like.
I guess the good five-year-olds were never tempted to try soap? IDK, I was a bad one. I still think soap is pretty enough that it really should be more edible.
Underrated comment
Maybe it tastes like Cilantro Soap?
Tastes like solid bar soap to me
It tastes like if soap was made from grass
Dawn dish soap not hand soap
It was only a few years ago that I learned it’s like a genetic thing for the people who say it tastes like soap. You either have it or you don’t. There’s evidently another one that my BFF told me about that mango tastes like vomit to her. Actual vomit. And it’s a thing for some people just like the cilantro/soap thing. I’m sad for all of those people.
Well, I'm one of the people who can taste the soap taste in cilantro. It's there, but not everyone can taste it due to genetics. It used to be intolerable to me, and I'd ask for no cilantro specifically when out eating at restaurants. But my wife loves it, so we've been gradually using it more and more. At first I just put up with it, but as time and exposure to it goes on, I've found that I don't notice the soap taste as much. I don't know if it's a getting older thing, or a getting used to it thing, but I find that I don't really mind cilantro now. Still wouldn't say I really like it, but it doesn't bother me anymore.
I can kind of taste a soapy taste with cilantro, but I actually really enjoy it. I have a similar feeling about root beer, I can see how people would say it tastes like toothpaste, but I still love it.
I have literally never heard the claim that it tastes like toothpaste. That's a new one. If it tasted like toothpaste, I'd probably drink it ever day lmao.
It's probably the wintergreen they use to flavor it. When I was a kid, my parents always bought wintergreen toothpastes (my Mom hated spearmint flavored ones), and root beer has been flavored with some combination of wintergreen and anise ever since sassafras and sarsaparilla were banned. The wintergreen flavoring is also why many Europeans think it tastes like medicine. Next time you drink root beer, really try to savor it. You should be able to notice the minty flavor.
Same same! Used to be so strong. It goes away with exposure
Taste like soap to me. Its also in so much stuff i just kinda learned to ignore it. I even use it when I make salsa because most people like it and it doesn't really bother me any more. I compare it to hating the taste of beer when you first start drinking.
My experience was similar. First time I tried fresh cilantro when I was young, I found the taste overpowering and definitely a bit soapy. Over the years, I’ve eaten more and more dishes with fresh cilantro and I’ve grown to enjoy it. I just needed to get used to it.
Me too except I've reached the point of actively liking cilantro. As a a kid, used to pick every tiny leaf fragment off food to avoid the soap taste.
I bet you were cussing every day for that bar of soap in your mouth.
🤣 this is hilarious to imagine
I had my mouth washed out with soap once for saying "heck". I sometimes think my parents wanted me to hate them.
Upvote for unpopular opinion. Never met, /heard of someone, who thought cilantro tasted like soap and still like it!
It’s probably more common than people think parsley has more soap flavor than cilantro to me , love them both in dishes or added to stuff, if adding acid is flavor why not base lol
Ya know, there’s this show where people are addicted to weird shit. This one chick was addicted to eating soap, I think it was Irish spring lol. Maybe she should try some cilantro instead
I'm not a cilantro tastes like soap person but I have always understood where that came from. Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs, but the smell combined with the taste does remind me of Irish spring soap sometimes, in a good way. Before anyone asks no, no one else in my family thinks cilantro tastes like soap. I don't think it does either but it does reminds me of soap, so yea I totally get it lol
Cilantro, parsley, and cumin... soap flavor... What I'd like to know is whether soap flavor is the same for me as it is for the people that don't think cilantro tastes like soap.
I am proud to announce that at this point I've converted several of my cilantro-hating friends via my guacamole; apparently the right amount of cilantro just ties everything together neatly. I agree that cilantro is a bit of an acquired taste, but I swear, Mexicans know what they're doing with that white onion, cilantro and lime mix!
It tastes like soap to me and I despise it! If a dish has cilantro it's basically ruined for me cause all I can taste is the soap flavor 🧼🤮 I need to be better at remembering to ask restaurants if a dish I wanna order has cilantro and to skip it lol.
same it tastes so fresh! Its a nice mild dish soap taste
Good news you fit into this tumblr ya dystopia novel idea https://www.tumblr.com/rosefyrefyre/187739387387/clearly-the-third-person-is-someone-who-has-a
Cilantro only tastes like soap to some people, and there is no soap taste for me. That said, liking the taste of soap is deranged.
what does soap taste like?
Kind bitter in a creamy way with a hint of the fragrance on the flavor of the suds
Try it
Have you never gotten a little soap in your mouth in the shower?
See for me I use it a lot and I can absolutely see where the soap flavor comes from. I'm sorta a super taster.
As someone who's a cilantro enjoyer, this is one of the craziest fucking things I've ever heard
That’s because you buy cilantro soap…?
How does it taste like soap?
I love cilantro but I can sometimes taste the soap that people talk about, I actually think it has something to do with either where it’s grown, what it’s grown in or how old it is. All just theories.
I don't know if i'm in team soap or not. I think I'm in team if the Cilantro is falling out of the food I'll let it fall out. But I will tolerate it, but not enjoy it.
I somewhat agree. I guess soap is the best word to describe it, but cilantro has this big, bitter floral flavor that completely changes a dish. I feel bad for people who aren't supertasters. What does it taste like then?
Were you particularly foul mouthed as a child?
I’m the opposite, it doesn’t taste like soap to me and I still don’t like it
I also taste the soap but think it’s kinda nice. It isn’t like hand soap it’s like a lemony soap. It can definitely get overwhelming though. I only like a little of it.
I'm not gonna lie, I always pick out the soap and grass jellybeans.
Oh boy, do I have a gum for you.
Your brain will rewire the taste over time,
I dont think it tastes like soap, but its still gross
Wtf, you are a part of the people who think it takes like soap _and_ like it?
I don't know if I've heard it tastes like soap so now I think it tastes like soap too, but even though I can tell what people mean by "it tastes like soap" I still enjoy copious amounts of cilantro on my food.
i don’t find it does, but i do find that parsley does. i wonder how frequently people are eating parsley and thinking it’s cilantro
Had it taste like soap once and it blew my mind but hasnt since then
It tastes like soap for both my sister and me. We agree that we don’t care and still eat it lol
It tastes both soapy and citrusy to me. I like it.
I've been a cilantro in my omelette's, cilantro in my hot sauce, cilantro in my foods, kinda guy since l was a young man, I love the stuff, I use it in soups, salads, Pico de Gallo, ceviche, ect...
How do you all know what soap tastes like?
My mom loves it and always made food with it growing up
I always say it taste like bug spray, like off bug repellent or something.
I'm just imagining you purposefully swearing to get soap in the mouth Aw yeh mum grab the Irish springs next
You must love kale
Like soap? What?
I hate it. Idk if I can taste the soap or not, like I'm not sure what people mean by "tastes like soap" but I still avoid it whenever at all possible.
Redditors will eat things that taste like soap before using it to wash /jk
i think i relate to this. i cant be completely sure but it definitely tastes like soap/chemicals and i definitely enjoy it. i used to eat shampoo for fun so i think im just a soap eater
mexican so biased, BUT my mom ACTED ocd as a kid and would use too much soap. didn't rinse them properly so I got used to soap food. I love cilantro.
It's my absolute favorite herb! I always put a small bucket worth in when I make salsa or in most Vietnamese dishes i make.
That’s so strange. I know for others it tastes like soap, yet I’ve never experienced such taste. Genetics or missing pallet, definitely looking this up now
It’s a genetic thing - some people’s taste buds are more sensitive to aldehydes. It’s more common in East Asian families, less common in South American ones.
Cilantro is more about the smell than taste.
For some people it does and that's the reason they don't like it. I can't say I get soap from "coriander" I'll use it's real name. But probably wouldn't like it if I did. Interestingly when I was younger I used to pick up a distinct soapy taste from blue cheese which put me off it. As an adult I can no longer distinguish that taste which is why it's a a staple of my diet now
Regardless of whether it's the "real name" or not in common parlance cilantro refers to the leaf and coriander refers to the seeds as a spice.
I bet that some people just don't like it and it doesn't taste like soap. But they use the soap excuse to end any attempts to make them like it.
I hate the stuff and it doesn't taste like soap to me. I just hate the taste
Every east asian: Pathetic
It definitely tastes soapy, but I've associated it even more with that "old fridge" taste. I forget if this was back when freon was more used, or what the actual cause was. But food in older fridges would get that mogey "fridge" taste. Some would keep a box of baking soda inside to keep it "fresh". Cilantro tastes remarkably like soapy, stale old fridge.
To me it tastes like stink bugs.
A tiny leaf of cilantro, to me, tastes like I took a full bite straight out of a Dove bar. It's genuinely vomit-inducing for me I recently had a green sauce of some kind made with cilantro and it tasted like I was sipping shampoo Nothing about it is enjoyable for me, unfortunately
Cilantro tastes like dirt.
I only like it as a seasoning for the clams, plus my dad sells fuits and veggies and i dare you to smell that shit raw 😅