Apparently, there are a lot of people out there who hate cilantro (or coriander, as it’s called in the UK and Australia, among other places). I can’t relate because I think it’s delicious and flavorful and I eat it several times a week. That said, apparently more than 265,000 people CAN relate because they’ve joined a Facebook group in solidarity.
- Wait, are we talking about the leaves or the seed here? I dunno, all of it? In America, we call the leaves of the plant cilantro and the ground seeds coriander. In places like the UK, it’s all coriander regardless of what form it’s in. Given that the Facebook group in question is called “I Hate Coriander,” I feel like it’s safe to assume this applies to the leaves and seeds. They hate it all!
- As a Coriander lover, I don’t get it. To me, coriander has a sharp herbiness that’s almost citrusy in a way. It really lifts everything from curries to rice and everything in between, lending a welcome zesty freshness. Basically, I’m a fan.
- Coriander/cilantro haters do have a basis for their feelings. They’re not just hating on it because they have unsophisticated palettes or anything. In fact, some people have a receptor gene known as 0R6A2 which is found in about 10% of the population. Those who have it find that cilantro tastes like soap or even metal shavings, and I wouldn’t want to eat either of those things myself.
- Many of “I Hate Coriander“s members are from Australia. Do more people in Australia have the cilantro/coriander hating gene or is this mere coincidence? Who knows. I’ve met a lot of people who really can’t stand it, so I do feel like it’s semi-common. If you’re one of them, you should join so you can commiserate with others who feel the same! Hilariously, they even offer merch so you can advertise your hatred to the world.
- I feel bad for people with the genetic variant. I wouldn’t say cilantro/coriander is my favorite herb/spice (that would be cumin), but I do really love it and the flavor it lends to food. It’s a shame that some people can’t enjoy it since it’s in so many delicious dishes from around the world and Asia in particular. Ah well!
