Question 1

True or false: Cilantro and coriander come from the same plant, just different parts.

Accepted Answer

True. Cilantro is the fresh leaves and stems; coriander is the dried seeds. Both from Coriandrum sativum.

Question 2

True or false: Cilantro is a perennial plant that can live for several years.

Accepted Answer

False. Cilantro is an annual—it completes its life cycle in one season. It bolts quickly to seed and then dies.

Question 3

True or false: Cilantro is a member of the mint family.

Accepted Answer

False. Cilantro is in the Apiaceae family (carrot, parsley, dill), not Lamiaceae (mint). The leaf shape causes confusion.

Question 4

True or false: Cilantro is native to Mexico and was domesticated there.

Accepted Answer

False. Cilantro is native to the Mediterranean and Middle East; it spread to Mexico with Spanish colonization.

Question 5

True or false: The soapy taste of cilantro for some people is caused by a genetic variation.

Accepted Answer

True. A variation in olfactory receptor genes makes aldehydes in cilantro smell like soap to about 4-14% of people.

Question 6

True or false: Cilantro contains more vitamin A per gram than carrots.

Accepted Answer

False. Raw carrots have about 835mcg vitamin A (RAE) per 100g, while fresh cilantro has only 337mcg. Carrots contain over twice as much vitamin A per gram.

Question 7

True or false: Cilantro is the Spanish word for the leaves of the coriander plant.

Accepted Answer

True. In American English, 'cilantro' refers to the fresh leaves and stems of the Coriandrum sativum plant, deriving from the Spanish word for coriander.

Question 8

True or false: Cilantro leaves lose most of their flavor when dried.

Accepted Answer

True. Fresh cilantro leaves are prized for their bright flavor, but dried cilantro loses almost all its taste and aroma, becoming nearly flavorless. Culinary sources confirm it's a poor substitute for fresh.

Cilantro Trivia Questions