A lot of people hate coriander. They say it tastes like soap, or dust, or dirt. It’s hard to imagine that they can even identify those flavors in a herb. What’s the big deal?
The problem with coriander is actually caused by genetics: some of us have a gene that makes us taste one chemical in coriander as soap, while others of us don’t. Coriander is an interesting plant because it has been through this before.
Coriander contains two chemicals: dodecenal and decanal. Dodecenal is what gives you the soapy flavor, but it also plays a role in insect defense. Decanal is what makes it smell like coriander. Coriander evolved from another plant called Eryngium foetidum, which contains both dodecenal and decanal, but without the same evolutionarily advantageous effects. This ancestor had a much higher concentration of dodecenal than modern day coriander does, so all people could taste the soapy flavor. Coriander became more popular after the levels of dodecenal decreased over time due to selective pressures, making it more palatable for humans. Then around 10 thousand years ago we
Coriander is a plant that has had a rough history. Not many people like the taste of it, and it has been described as being offensive by words such as “soapy”, “dirty socks”, “musty” and even “catty”. These types of reactions have made people turn away from this plant.
There are people out there who love coriander, however. A few scientists have come together in order to find out why some people are sensitive to the soapy-tasting chemical in coriander, while others aren’t. They found that those who don’t like coriander all have one gene in common.
The gene seems to be responsible for how we all perceive the smell of certain things. For example, if you don’t like coriander, you’re more likely to also dislike black licorice, coffee and even burnt rubber. This gene also seems to be linked to genes that are involved in perception of things such as nicotine and alcohol.
So, does this mean that if you don’t like coriander then you’re not going to like other things? Not necessarily! Before you go around judging people on their gene, remember that this is just one small thing that can affect a person’s behaviour. There
Since ancient times, scientists have been trying to understand and explain the mysterious world around us. Coriander is one of those plants that has baffled many since ancient times. Botanists have dissected it and examined it, but they still cannot explain why some people love it and others hate it. People who like coriander are called cilantro lovers or pro-cilantro and people who dislike coriander are called cilantro haters or anti-cilantro.
Many scientists believe that the differences in our taste buds are what cause this phenomenon. The plant’s leaves contain aldehyde chemicals which are also found in soaps. This means that some people taste soap when they eat coriander, while others taste deliciousness.
Others believe that genetics might be the reason for this mystery. They think that our genes can affect how we smell, which would then alter how we perceive scents like coriander’s. These scientists tried to find a link between cilantro-related genes to other genes associated with smelling ability, but they were not able to find any correlations between them.
Some scientists even think the earth’s magnetic field could be involved in this strange phenomenon! They say that earth’s magnetic field affects how plants grow, including cori
The Next Big Thing?
Suppose someone asked you to name a herb that produces essential oils, is used in foods and drinks, has medicinal properties, can be used as an insect repellent, and is currently being studied to be used in the future treatment of cancer. What would you answer? If you answered coriander, then you are correct!
Cilantro and Coriander: What’s the difference?
The leaves and stems of this herb have a totally different name than its seeds; coriander! This is somewhat similar to the word papaya (the fruit) vs. papaya tree (the plant). In English speaking countries such as the United States and Great Britain, the leafy part of Coriandrum sativum is called cilantro. Most other countries call it coriander. The confusion seems to come from the fact that we use the Spanish word for cilantro in English-speaking countries (cilantro), while using the English word for coriander in other countries (coriander). It’s all very confusing but hopefully this blog will help clear things up!
Coriander “In A Nutshell”
Coriandrum sativum grows to about three feet
When I first heard about coriander, it was the first time I had ever heard of the plant. I thought it was weird and didn’t really know what to think. I had just started my first job as a restaurant manager in a small town and was wondering what kind of food would work best for our customers. So, being the boss, I decided to do some research.
I went on Google and typed in “coriander” and saw that there were a few articles about this weird herb. One article said that it is used in Indian cooking, another said that it’s used in Mexican cooking and one even said that it’s used in Chinese cooking too! This seemed odd because I’ve never seen any of these herbs before and they seemed like strange things to me.
So then I started reading more articles about coriander and found out that coriander is actually an herb that is used in many different countries around the world. It’s grown in India, China and other parts of Asia, but also Australia, New Zealand and many other parts of the world. It’s also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley – which all refer to the same thing: an herb with a lot of flavor!
The next day at work I asked
If you’re eating Thai food, odds are you’ve had coriander. And if you’ve ever eaten at a Mexican restaurant, then there’s no doubt about it, you’ve had coriander. It is an herb that many people consider disgusting and some adore, but it has been through a lot to get where it is today.
Coriander comes from the plant cilantro, which is Latin for “little bed bug.” This name was given because the leaves of the plant look like bed bugs (and don’t taste like them either). In fact, it has been used by people all over the world for thousands of years to repel insects, most notably mosquitoes. Coriander may be a good thing to add to your camping gear or your bug spray this summer!
Vikings used coriander as a spice as early as 800 AD in their cooking. Modern-day Scandinavians also use it in their cooking, especially in fish dishes. It is also found often in Asian cuisine, such as Thai food and mango chicken salads. It is used in curries and chutneys in India and other South Asian countries. In Mexico, coriander is added to salsa and
Coriander is a spice that comes from the dried fruit of the cilantro plant, widely used in Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. It has a bright, citrusy flavor and is used both as a whole seed or ground into a powder. Coriander is most commonly found in breads, cakes, cookies, fish and shellfish dishes, sausages, soups and stews (particularly Moroccan tagines), and spice blends like garam masala, curry powder and Chinese five-spice.
Coriander has been around for thousands of years—it has even been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. It was said to be used as an aphrodesiac by the Greeks, who called it “koris” (“bug”), because it smelled like bed bugs! Both seeds and leaves are edible; the leaves are referred to as cilantro (or Chinese parsley), but are often called “coriander” in countries outside the U.S.
For all its popularity around the world, coriander hasn’t always been well loved. In fact, it’s not well loved at all by about 10% of the population—a percentage that may actually be higher. To some people who eat
