Back in the day, I was a big fan of tropical fruits and, as you probably guessed, durian was at the top of my list of desires. I’d read a lot about its incredible taste and even more incredible smell. And so, after several years of dreaming, in 2018 I went to China and there, at some street diner in Guangzhou, I finally tried it… What can I tell you? Really tasty, but the absolutely hellish smell completely discouraged me not only from the taste, but also from further fascination with this kind of fruit.
In fact, there are now over 7 billion people in the world, and about the same number of taste preferences in food. What is an undoubted delicacy for many can literally turn others inside out just with its taste. And here is a special selection by We based on a viral thread in the AskReddit community dedicated to just such foods, meals and drinks…
More info: Reddit
#1
Black licorice. I’ve accepted my DNA just can’t stand the stuff.
slimpawws , The Nix Company Report
Final score: 111points 
InfiniteZeek InfiniteZeek Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Same, I hate it with a passion.
23 23points reply View More Replies… #2
Intestines/innards of any kind and solid portions of fat on meat. One of my husband’s favorite dishes is barbequed intestines (Japanese barbecue) and I can smell its appeal, but I physically can’t deal with the texture. And it really saddens me because I’ve always wanted to eat menudo and I know the soup is bomb AF 😭. I think I have some sort of fat/chewy PTSD from when I was forced to eat gristle off of meat as a kid.
LeocadiaPualani , Krista Report
Final score: 107points 
Nikki Sevven Nikki Sevven Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Just offal.
53 53points reply View More Replies… #3
Liver the smell alone makes me sick.
Final score: 95points Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Love liver, with onion, in gravy……
41 41points reply View More Replies…
Let’s start, perhaps, with the main question – why do people generally differ in their taste preferences in food? Here the answer, as usual, is quite simple – it’s in our genome. In 2004, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, showed, for example, that our smell receptors are associated with a part of the genome that has a higher number of variations than the rest of the DNA.
And the more variations, the more differences in taste. So, literally the same steak will be perceived by two different people in completely different ways. Simply because they have different perceptions of taste at the biological level.
#4
Raw oysters.
lsutigerzfan , Anima Visual Report
Final score: 92points 
Ron Man Ron Man Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Oysters are amazing. Don’t chew raw ones.
19 19points reply View More Replies… #5
Tripe
Final score: 86points 
Nice Beast Ludo Nice Beast Ludo Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
“When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor – you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George swears he got a bogie flavored one once”
24 24points reply View More Replies… #6
Matcha ! Just tastes like grass to me
mulberrycedar , NipananLifestyle.com Report
Final score: 71points 
Lil Miss Hobbit Lil Miss Hobbit Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
100% agree. It is just blended grass. But not even good grass. Blended crappy city grass.
36 36points reply View More Replies…
Initially, this feature helped people survive. A classic example is why the vast majority of people don’t like bitter tastes. The thing is that for ancient people, this taste was strongly associated with the presence of toxins in food, and therefore such food had to be spat out quickly, or even better, not eaten at all. Thousands and thousands of years have passed since then, humanity has come a long way in development, but the ancient protective mechanism remains.
And, of course, the psychological factor plays a huge role in our taste perception of food. For example, if we were taught from childhood that some dish is tasteless or even disgusting, then dislike for it can spread into adulthood. Or, let’s say, we once had a bad experience with some vegetable or fruit (like, for example, I had with durian). But overcoming such food prejudice can sometimes be very difficult.
#7
Beer, of any kind. It always makes me very nauseous.
Final score: 70points Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
I always feel nauseous after drinking beer. After about 10 pints or so.
79 79points reply View More Replies… #8
Overnight oats. They’re basically lumpy, cold snot in my throat first thing in the morning. I gag just thinking about adding chia seeds.
DarkDesireX , Irina Grigoraş Report
Final score: 70points 
Blue Bunny of Happiness Blue Bunny of Happiness Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Couldn’t agree more, what’s wrong with actual hot porridge?
39 39points reply View More Replies… #9
Most definitely Brussel Sprouts. I’ve tried them in so many forms and yet I still hate them.
guidesthehermit , Jez Timms Report
Final score: 67points Ron Man Ron Man Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Cut them in half, toss in olive oil and a seasoning salt, roast in the oven. Fantastic! Every other way, nope.
57 57points reply View More Replies…
On the other hand, our culinary preferences are quite flexible – and once we try something delicious, we stick to it for the long run. In any case, all the factors that influence our perception of food can be divided into three groups: innate taste preferences, which are determined by human evolution, the physical characteristics of food (texture, temperature and whatnot) and our previous experience of interacting with this taste (or smell – sorry, I’m reminiscing about that very durian over and over…)
#10
Kombucha, smells like stinky feet and taste like vinegar to me.
-LordKromdar- , Tim-Oliver Metz Report
Final score: 66points 
A dude who likes to drum A dude who likes to drum Community Member • points posts comments upvotes 1 month ago Report
I love kombucha :/
20 20points reply View More Replies… #11
Blue cheeses
28374woolijay , ROMAN ODINTSOV Report
Final score: 63points Ron Man Ron Man Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
I love bleu cheese. Always have.
29 29points reply View More Replies… #12
I know this is a drink, but sparkling water. I like some flavors, but I can’t stand that after taste. Bleh
Final score: 62points 
Sarah Kathrin Matsoukis Sarah Kathrin Matsoukis Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Tv static flavor
64 64points reply View More Replies…
Perhaps some of the stories told by people in this selection will seem absolutely strange and weird to you. On the contrary, you will completely agree with some. In any case, please feel free to scroll this list to the very end, give your ‘likes’ to the most interesting submissions and for sure share your own experience of interacting with some foods or drinks. Maybe your special story will be no less tasty and delicious than the most popular meals ever!
#13
Octopus.
The texture just isn’t for me. I want to like it. The flavor is fine, just can’t get over the chewing experience.
nocksers , RDNE Stock project Report
Final score: 61points Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
I like it, but have pretty much stopped eating it. Feel guilty about eating such an intelligent animal.
78 78points reply View More Replies… #14
Chitlins
Old_opionated-man , izzycooking Report
Final score: 61points 
Kim Gilbert Kim Gilbert Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
UK, chitterlings. Intestines. Nope.
15 15points reply View More Replies… #15
Lamb. I tried… really
Ab1156 , cottonbro studio Report
Final score: 57points Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Lamb is SOOOOOOO nice. When it falls of the bone. Lovely.
49 49points reply View More Replies… #16
Peeps, the Easter sugared candy. I like to think I can digest anything covered in sugar BUT NOT THAT….
Asapdustybraids , David Goehring Report
Final score: 56points A dude who likes to drum A dude who likes to drum Community Member • points posts comments upvotes 1 month ago Report
. No just no I love those things like they are my siblings
16 16points reply View More Replies… #17
okra. liver and onions.
crablegsforlife , Quang Nguyen Vinh Report
Final score: 56points Nichole Harris Nichole Harris Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Got to fry that okra!!!!!!
25 25points reply View More Replies… #18
Wine. Every year I’ll try it around the holidays with family and it’s still gross
Final score: 52points 
Ima Manimal Ima Manimal Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Same
20 20points reply View More Replies… #19
Caviar .
The salty /fishy /cold/ bubble tea texture combo makes me retch . Smoked salmon too – I’m a terrible one for cold fishy amuse-bouche.
Final score: 51points Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Love caviar.
7 7points reply View More Replies… #20
Olives. I’ve tried many varieties. I always try them because they look like they’d be good but they’re just not.
TRIGMILLION , Polina Tankilevitch Report
Final score: 49points Ima Manimal Ima Manimal Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
I love the black ones. Hate the green ones.
30 30points reply View More Replies… #21
IPAs and stouts.
Revenge_of_the_Khaki , Alfo Medeiros Report
Final score: 46points Nikki Sevven Nikki Sevven Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
I love stouts, but dislike IPAs.
18 18points reply View More Replies… #22
Beets. I just can’t.
Many_Dirlam , Melissa LeGette Report
Final score: 44points 
Pernille. Pernille. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
I eat almost everything, but beets tastes like falling off a horse with your mouth open.
45 45points reply View More Replies… #23
I can’t drink egg nog. Every year I give it a shot and try to like it, but I just can’t.
cyberzed11 , Jill Wellington Report
Final score: 43points 
Carole G. Carole G. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Just add some brandy…
12 12points reply View More Replies… #24
Tofu. I’m trying to be more health conscious and environmentally friendly with my eating habits. I’ve tried tofu several different ways, but haven;t found a flavor/style I like enough to keep eating.
WongoKnight , Polina Tankilevitch Report
Final score: 42points Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Same here, how can you make it taste nice?
21 21points reply View More Replies… #25
Celery
isellskooma , Karolina Grabowska Report
Final score: 41points 
Kathryn Baylis Kathryn Baylis Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Peanut butter or cream cheese make celery a whole lot better.
23 23points reply View More Replies… #26
Spicy food. Never have been able to eat it.
Jazzpants51 , Peijia Li Report
Final score: 41points Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
When people brag about heat. What’s the point if it overrides all the favour and your food geysers out a couple of hours later?
49 49points reply View More Replies… #27
Eggplant!
Final score: 40points Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Nathaniel (He/Him) Cis Het. Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Aubergine!
29 29points reply View More Replies… #28
Pea soup, just can’t
Final score: 37points Blue Bunny of Happiness Blue Bunny of Happiness Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
Pean and ham soup is amazing!
31 31points reply View More Replies… #29
Durian.
I went to a restaurant that served all the types of durian on a platter, all the way up to musang king. Hated every bite.
My fellow Asians judge me for hating it, but I refuse to be shamed. My American palate won’t let me like it.
There’s a reason they’re banned on public transport in Asia.
Final score: 36points 
TheGoodBoi TheGoodBoi Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
One of those things that make you wonder how they were tried in the first place. Was it a dare? Did someone say “Ooo look! A big greenish brown spike ball that smells like death! Let’s cut it open and dig in!”
32 32points reply View More Replies… #30
Sweet potatoes
MorrisseysButcher , Valeria Boltneva Report
Final score: 35points Kathryn Baylis Kathryn Baylis Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 month ago Report
I like a nice asked sweet potato, dripping with butter and sprinkled with brown sugar. Yum. I also make a killer sweet potato casserole—-no marshmallows, but whipped sweet potatoes with a brown sugar and pecans topping. Yum.
22 22points reply View More Replies…
Note: this post originally had 41 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.