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koriander

verse koriander naast een schaaltje met korianderzaad

Why some people love cilantro and others think it tastes like soap

Coriander (also known as 'ketoembar'): there are few spices that provoke such a strong opinion as coriander. You either love it or you dislike it. Coriander lovers describe coriander as an herb with a fresh, lemony and slightly nutty taste. Yet a small portion of people have an aversion to coriander. But how does that come about? We’re happy to tell you more about it.

The reason you do or do not like coriander may be genetically determined

Whether you like coriander or not; you probably can’t do much about it. Research shows that this is likely genetically determined. How so? Coriander contains aldehydes (a chemical compound) that also occur in soap. Whether you pick up these (soapy) aldehydes likely depends on the OR6A2 gene, which causes a strong reaction to soapy aldehydes. That makes people perceive it as smelling or tasting like soap.

Familiarity, taste memory and association also play a role

Factors such as familiarity, taste memory and association also (possibly) play a role in

fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) on the left and whole coriander seeds on the right in a small ceramic bowl, placed on a light stone surface

Coriander, what is it and does it have health benefits?

Coriander is a spice with an aromatic, citrus-like scent and a distinctive flavor. The leaves and seeds are the parts of this plant most often used as spices. Is coriander healthy? Coriander is both tasty and healthy. Let’s first talk about the seeds. Coriander seed is small, round and is often sold whole. They are green when fresh, but turn brown as they age. The seeds have a mild, sweet aroma and taste similar to citrus fruits. They are often used whole or ground to a powder for use in curries, meat dishes, rice dishes and bread. Coriander seed is used in traditional Indian, Mexican and Thai cuisine. In North America, coriander is used more in baking than in savory dishes because of its sweet flavor.

You can buy ground coriander seed or use whole seeds to grind yourself before using them in a recipe. Ground coriander has a stronger flavor than whole seeds because the oils that give off their aroma are released when you grind the seeds into smaller pieces. You can add ground coriander