On the chain of contempt in the vegetable world, coriander is a magical presence. People who love it see it as delicious, and people who hate it can't stand even smelling it.
Coriander, which evaluates polarization, was also on the "National Vegetable List" in 2020 due to its high sales.
February 24 is the World Hate Coriander Day, Life Times (search for "LT0385" in WeChat to follow) interviewed experts to analyze people's love and hate for coriander, and "justify" its nutritional advantages.
Experts interviewed
Zhong Kai, Doctor of Food Safety and Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center
Discarded coriander, among the "national vegetable list"
Some takeaway platforms have counted that the most common requirement in the order remarks column is "no coriander"; in canteens, restaurants, food stalls and other places, it is often heard that someone shouts "add more coriander".
So, which group of people who love to eat coriander and those who do not love to eat coriander have more?
According to a paper published in Flavour in the United Kingdom, about 3% to 21% do not like coriander depending on regional and ethnic differences.
Among them, East Asians account for 21%, much higher than Europeans and 14% Africans, who account for 17%, and Latin and middle Eastern regions have the lowest proportion of coriander haters, at 4% and 3%, respectively.
Experts speculate that perhaps because East Asian countries often add coriander to their dishes, people can eat it frequently, so the proportion of haters is also high.
In addition, the Root Meaning of Coriander's English name as "Bed bug" also confirms some people's dislike of it from a historical perspective.
According to the difference in data, it can be seen that a considerable number of people love coriander more. According to the "2020 Spring Festival House Economic Big Data" released by a platform, cilantro sold nearly one million copies, pressing the sales of potatoes, tomatoes, onions and carrots, ranking among the "national vegetables".
In Japan, coriander appears on the table and snacks in an endless stream, such as coriander udon noodles, coriander potato chips, coriander fried rice, etc., ranking first among the "Popular Ingredients of the Japanese Nation".
Where does the "special smell" of coriander come from?
In the matter of "whether you love to eat coriander", people who do not love to eat coriander usually suffer too many grievances, not only will they be considered picky eaters, but some people will even be labeled as "sentimental".
Genetic studies have shown that different feelings about the taste of coriander may stem from genetic differences in olfactory receptors.
The flavor of coriander is mainly formed by the fusion of various volatile oil substances such as mannitol, n-anoxol, nonol and linalool. A well-known genetic testing company in the United States has studied the DNA of nearly 50,000 people, and finally found a reason for "not loving coriander": genes.
The study found that about 15% of people worldwide suffer from "coriander phobia". People who feel soapy after eating coriander usually carry a special gene called "OR6A2." Such genes are involved in the body's olfactory and taste function and are particularly sensitive to aldehyde molecules, a chemical that has a coriander odor, the so-called soapy smell.
The researchers also found that about half of Europeans have two "OR6A2" genes in their chromosomes, but only 15 percent say coriander has a soapy smell, and another 11 percent who don't carry the "OR6A2" gene also say coriander has a soapy smell.
The results proved that genetic variation accounts for a certain proportion of the taste perception of coriander. Moreover, another gene associated with odor, and two genes associated with bitterness, also affect the taste of coriander.
3 advantages for coriander "justified"
Although coriander has been snubbed by some people because of its special smell, it is undeniable that its nutrition is very cost-effective and suitable for most people to eat.
High in nutrients
The content of trace elements such as dietary fiber, carotene and potassium in coriander is not low, of which the vitamin C content reaches 48 mg/100 g, and the calcium content is as high as 101 mg/100 g, which is close to milk.
Suitable for raw food
In addition to the impact on taste, the smell of coriander has a huge advantage: there are few insect pests and generally do not require the spraying of pesticides. Therefore, it is more suitable for raw food, tea and cooking.
Aids digestion
Coriander is also known as coriander [yán sui], coriander, coriander. Chinese medicine believes that coriander is warm and sweet, can strengthen the stomach to digest food, sweat and rash, drive wind and detoxification.
For those who really can't accept the taste of coriander, try the following methods:
When cooking, it can be blanched or fried or boiled for a while, so that the volatile oil component can be removed and the taste will be lightened.
However, it should be noted that long-term high-temperature cooking will destroy some nutrients in coriander and lose some nutrients. ▲
Editor of this issue: Zhang Yu
Wait, click in the lower right corner to see