Disgusting Herbs and Spices: The Data

People sure had a lot of fun with my post asking what herbs and spices they didn’t like. I got enough responses to actually get some “real” data out of it. So, if you’re curious, here’s what people hate:

Least-loved spices of Suna’s friends. Since there are close to 100 responses, the percentages reflect the number of people reporting a preference fairly accurately.

Dill and tarragon, the ones I didn’t like, are not universally loathed, though I’m at least not alone in disliking dill. One thing I do know for sure, is to not load up any food I serve guests I don’t know well with cilantro or anise, because by far they are the least liked.

I can see why people don’t like sage, though I like it, but I’d forgotten caraway seeds even existed, so the number of people saying “ick” to it surprised me.

When it comes to some of the less common dislikes, I enjoyed the creative nominations like liquid smoke and calamus root. I’ve never tried the latter. So, in case you have trouble reading the chart, here are the most disliked herbs and spices, with the least favorite ones listed first:

Cilantro15
Anise14
Sage7
Caraway seed6
Dill5
Rosemary5
Fennel4
Parsley4
Bergamot3
None3
Tarragon3
Thyme3
Basil2
Bay leaves2
Lavender2
Black pepper2
Almond paste1
Bay leaf1
Calamus root1
Cardamom1
Cayenne1
Celery1
Cumin1
Hibiscus1
Liquid smoke1
Mint1
Nutmeg1
Oregano1
Tumeric1
Least-loved herbs and spices