People have strong opinions about cilantro. To many, the herb is a welcome addition to tacos, dips, soups and other dishes. But to others, it’s a soapy-tasting disaster that ruins every food item it touches.
This polarized reaction is believed to stem from genetics. Due to variations with the olfactory receptor gene OR6A2, certain individuals have an aversion to the taste of cilantro, as they detect a soaplike quality.
According to new data from Instacart, there may also be a geographic component to people’s feelings toward cilantro. On Tuesday, the grocery delivery company released a report and “heat map” showing the popularity of this divisive herb in each state.
To determine the places that buy the most and least cilantro in relative terms, Instacart examined which states had the highest percentage of orders containing the herb in 2022. Arizona came out on top, with 6.2% of all its Instacart orders including cilantro, and the state at the opposite corner of the country, Maine, had the lowest, at 1.8% of all orders.
Cilantro was also popular in California (where it was in 6.1% of all orders), as well as Nevada, Colorado and Minnesota, where the figure was 6%. But it was decidedly unpopular in Alabama (2%), New Hampshire (2.2%), Vermont (2.4%) and South Carolina (2.6%).
Instacart also looked at the top herbs and spices overall, based on orders placed on its platform last year. Unexpectedly, the winner was cilantro, followed by dried garlic, flat-leaf parsley, dried onion, cinnamon and thyme.
“We were pleasantly surprised that cilantro, an herb known for its polarizing nature, managed to secure the top position among all fresh and dried herbs and spices — speaking volumes about its unique appeal and ability to elevate our food,” said Laurentia Romaniuk, Instacart’s trends expert.
As part of this research, the company put together a survey about the culinary preferences of more than 2,000 American adults.
“What’s interesting is that our survey with the Harris Poll [a market research organization] found that more than one in three Americans love cilantro and believe it tastes refreshing, while only 13% dislike or hate cilantro,” Romaniuk said. “This tells us that the people who dislike the herb make up a smaller — perhaps more vocal — portion of the population than we might have previously thought.”
The grocery delivery service shared a state-by-state breakdown of the most uniquely popular fresh or dried herb or spice in each state ― basically, the herb or spice that people in each state buy more than the national average.
Per Instacart’s findings, dried garlic is popular in much of the South, and the Northeast seems to have an affinity for flat-leaf parsley. Cilantro won out in Western states like Arizona, New Mexico, California and Utah, among others.
“Overall, cilantro’s popularity can be attributed to its distinctive flavor and versatility, aromatic qualities, and the integral role it plays in various cultural and regional cuisines,” Romaniuk said.
“With its bright citrusy and tangy undertones, the refreshing herb enhances a variety of cuisines and is a staple ingredient in Mexican, Indian, Thai, and Middle Eastern culinary traditions — all of which are celebrated and enjoyed across the U.S. However, there could be greater access to fresh cilantro on the West Coast, which might explain why our cilantro heat map shows higher concentrations of cilantro purchases in the West compared to the East.”
Read the full report for more insights into Americans’ herb and spice preferences, as well as the methodology behind these findings.
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