# Do any other foods have the "cilantro" effect? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635 "2016-06-06T02:47:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![67java89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/aeb1de/32.png) [@67java89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/67java89)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635/102 "2016-06-18T13:02:57Z")
> [@cwthree](#): > > How has no one mentioned beets yet? Most people find that beets have a pleasant sweet vegetable flavor, but to some of us, they just taste like dirt (I’m in the “taste like dirt” population). I love beets! I’m Ukrainian, so maybe there’s a genetic element. My husband doesn’t like most fruits, but most particularly peaches and cherries (Which is a shame cause those make the best pies!) Does anyone else have the garlic aversion I described? Whenever I tell people, I always get a weird look. Surely I can’t be alone ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635/103 "2016-06-18T14:50:39Z")
> [@cwthree](#): > > How has no one mentioned beets yet? Most people find that beets have a pleasant sweet vegetable flavor, but to some of us, they just taste like dirt (I’m in the “taste like dirt” population). Excluded middle. I don’t think they just taste like dirt. I think they taste like sweet dirt! ---
**Author:** ![67java89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/aeb1de/32.png) [@67java89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/67java89)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635/104 "2016-06-18T14:55:45Z")
My sister in law insists mushrooms taste like dirt. Little Mr Java used to _eat_ dirt\*\*. Sage and thyme taste /smell like household cleaning chemicals to me. Could this be genetic? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635/105 "2016-06-18T15:12:27Z")
Oh, I forgot about beets. It’s not actually that they’re bad, but rather, the flavor is so strong it overwhelms everything else, and the beet flavor alone is… not pleasant. Properly combined with something that can stand up the flavor, they’re alright. Borscht is awesome, but beets are so overpowering in most dishes that I’m left scrambling for water to try and get the taste out. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635/106 "2016-06-18T23:00:11Z")
> [@67java89](#): > > Sage and thyme taste /smell like household cleaning chemicals to me. Could this be genetic? Could be… or could be learned as those are somewhat common scents for soaps. ---
**Author:** ![67java89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/aeb1de/32.png) [@67java89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/67java89)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635/107 "2016-06-19T00:26:11Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Could be… or could be learned as those are somewhat common scents for soaps. Good theory…I think sage is a common scent for those drawer sachet thingies. Maybe I associate those with cleaning for some reason ---
**Author:** ![MacLir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@MacLir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacLir)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635/108 "2016-06-20T15:04:14Z")
> [@67java89](#): > > Sage and thyme taste /smell like household cleaning chemicals to me. Could this be genetic? Well, there IS an organic disinfectant that uses thymol (thyme) as an active ingredient … On the other hand, I like it because it smells like herbs, not chemicals :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635/109 "2016-06-20T18:44:25Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Me, I’ve thought about it, and can see (smell) the connection. What’s the connection? I am not one to go around smelling semen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-other-foods-have-the-cilantro-effect/756635.md?page=5)