Why Does Cilantro Taste Like Soap?

It's the controversy that plagues dinner tables the world over. Cilantro tastes like soap to some people, but they may not just be picky. It could be genetic.

Hosted by: Hank Green
----------
Dooblydoo thanks go to the following Patreon supporters -- we couldn't make SciShow without them! Shout out to Justin Ove, Justin Lentz, David Campos, John Szymakowski, Peso255, Jeremy Peng, Avi Yaschin, and Fatima Iqbal.
----------

Or help support us by becoming our patron on Patreon:
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?

Sources:

[ArvelJoffi]

The first time I had cilantro was in a burrito in a restaurant. I was convinced that someone had spilled a cleaning solution into my food.

[nolanthiessen]

Cilantro definitely tastes like soap to me. It's always disappointing to bite into some fresh salsa at a party and have it taste like soap.

[jmomm]

I thought I was the only one who thought is tasted like soap. Thanks for the sanity check.

[kiwedinikwe]

I always wondered how people could get over the soapy taste of cilantro. I have friends who literally put it in everything and they love it so much AND I DONT GET IT.

[kieranshae]

Ive asked my friends who like the tastes what it tastes like, and they say it tastes of fresh cut grass. That doesn't sound any better.

[crochetingcanuck]

For me it does't taste like soap, but it tastes incredibly disgusting. I can't describe what it taste like to me but it makes me gag so bad.

[schopixlive]

AHHHH I was going insane because everyone said cilantro tastes great, like a type of parsley, but every time I'd taste it, I'd think "there's no way on earth these people are tasting the same thing as me..." glad there's a scientific explanation for why it tastes like nauseating earthy soap crap to me

[danheidel]

"tastes like soap" really doesn't do it justice.  It's like a mix of dish soap, rotten meat and bleach.

[Kamdrimar]

I've always thought of the taste as "like stinkbug smell". Turns out stinkbug spray has some of the same aldehydes in it!

[HelenaRedgrave]

It doesn't taste like soap at all to me, it tastes more like mankind's hatred given a blasphemous, physical manifestation.

[TheBaronessIsAwesome]

Wow, I am officially stunned. I absolutely HATE cilantro. To me, it tastes like swimming in a pool with my mouth open. My family, however, loves cilantro. Fun fact: due to infertility, I was a product of IVF, which makes me the only one on my family that basically has 'foreign genes'. This video blew my mind! How awesome!

[BigSnipp]

The worst part about cilantro is the douche bags who assume everyone likes it. The cool guy at work made pico with cilantro and pico without cilantro. A true gentleman.

[ZEbelgiumfreak]

It tastes like the smell of "stink bugs"...
Anybody with me, or am I just weird?

[tugboat_maguire]

This is strange, I never knew this was a thing... Cilantro doesn't taste like soap to me.

[CuentitosLoribeth]

I pity the people who can't taste the true greatness of real Cilantro flavour... Long live Cilantro!

[likenem]

Why at 0:37 does it look like they're about to drop the dopest Science dissertation of 2015

[MsDaudur]

I am one of the soap people and I am so happy that I now have a video to link people to, rather than going through the trouble of trying to explain all that myself. Thank you SciShow!

[KayS]

just hearing about cilantro and i can taste it in my mouth, blech

[bawoman]

I cant even stand the smell of it..ugh..I wouldnt say it tastes like soap, just very VERY strong and chemical

[bobmeh]

Words cannot even begin to describe how gruesome accidentally eating something with cilantro is. Probably the worst experience conceivable.