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People Are Sharing Common Ingredients That, Contrary To Popular Opinion, Completely "Ruin" A Meal

"Most people I know absolutely love them. No one understands when I say they taste like candy that fell in the dirt and sat there for a really long time."

Chances are, there's at least one food that — due to texture, flavor, or both — you just can't stand. And maybe even the very presence of said ingredient is enough to ruin a dish. So, redditor u/Simple_Anywhere_8337 asked, "What's an ingredient you hate but most people like?" Here's what people said.

1. "Avocado for me. Even if someone tells me there isn’t any avocado in a dish, the moment I take a bite, I can just feel the unpleasant texture lurking."

Grilled cheese sandwich with avocado, mushrooms and onions.

2. "Pickles. On their own, I actually don't mind them, but when they're on a sandwich, pickle is all I am able to taste. To make matters worse, if you ask for something with no pickles and they forget it, you're doomed because the moment those pickles touch anything else, the mark has already been made."

Spicy fast food fried chicken sandwich.

3. "Macarons. I know they're popular, but their taste and texture are super underwhelming compared to how beautiful they look. Visually, they look amazing, but I take one bite and wish I ate a brownie instead."

A hand holding a green macaron.

4. "Lima beans. Growing up, my mom always made us eat five bites of everything. Lima beans were the most tortuous of all the five bites. They have the texture of sand, and they taste like farts. I have no idea why anyone finds them appealing."

Cooked lima beans in red sauce.

5. "Artificial sweeteners. The taste is why I detest 'diet' and low-calorie drinks."

Dr. Pepper soda bottles.

6. "Oatmeal. The texture is like eating vomit. It makes me gag every single time I try it."

Oatmeal porridge with peach in bowl.

7. "Mayo. Even if you ask for no mayo and someone messes up your order when you asked for none, there's no salvaging your food. This condiment soaks in and slathers into every bite."

Sandwich with iceberg lettuce, tomato, egg, ham and mayo.

8. "Kale. I know it's a 'super food,' and I don't care. It smells and tastes revolting to me."

A kale salad

9. "Capers. I'm turned off by any recipe if the ingredients include capers. I know they're just supposed to taste salty, but it doesn't work for me. And I actually happen to love most vinegar-based foods."

Chicken and penne with caper sauce.

10. "Coconut flakes. They make me cringe. It's a texture thing for me. My dad always got this one German cake for his birthday, and every year, I would try it. The thought of taking a bite gives me shivers. I can’t do coconut flakes."

A variety of cupcakes.

11. "Cilantro. It tastes like soap and disappointment."

A hand holding a taco.

12. "I love raw broccoli, but can't do cooked broccoli. I can't stand the smell of it cooked, especially when left over."

Cooked broccoli in a bowl.

13. "Arugula. It's the trash leaf of the lettuce world."

Sourdough pizza with prosciutto, arugula, and tomato.

14. "Raisins. There's nothing worse than a surprise raisin. I’m very wary around carrot cake. Is it a walnut or a raisin? Good luck, and may the odds be in your favor."

Dark chocolate chip cookies with raisins.

15. "Celery. I’m so tired of hearing people say that celery 'doesn’t taste like anything.' The smell of raw celery alone is enough to keep me from certain dishes that it's in."

Curried spiced chicken salad.

16. "Bananas. Even if you pack a lunch and put a banana in the bag, it contaminates everything else with that distinct banana taste. Think those Cheez-Its you packed are going to taste crunchy, cheesy, and fantastic? Wrong. If they're near a banana, they'll taste like it."

A sandwich with bananas on it

17. "Beets. Most people I know absolutely love them. No one understands when I say they taste like candy that fell in the dirt and sat there for a really long time."

Beet slices on a plate.

18. "Chicken without crispy skin. I'm immediately disgusted if I take a bite of chicken, and the skin or breading slides off like slimy, crumby mush."

Chicken thighs on a sheet pan.

19. "Sliced tomato. When it's on a burger, in an omelet, or really anything. It doesn't matter if you remove it. The tomato scent and juices are permanently stuck on said food."

A hand holding a burger.

20. "Açai. I know it's trendy, but to me it tastes like chewing on a wet, fruity tea bag."

An açai bowl with more fruit.

21. "Cucumber. I get the appeal, I guess, Maybe it's refreshing, but it isn't for me. Everything that goes near cucumber starts to taste like it just by sharing a plate."

Cucumber, Tomato & Herb Salad with a Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing.

22. "Onion tastes so awful to me (raw or cooked). I can't even eat a dish that was prepared with the same knife that was used to chop onion. It tastes like a mouthful of the most potent B.O."

Onions frying in a pan.

23. "Nutmeg. Even in the smallest amounts, this spice overpowers a dish. It has ruined far too many bowls of fettuccine Alfredo for me."

Plate of fettuccine alfredo.

24. "Horseradish. I'm open to eating pretty much anything and everything...unless it has horseradish in it. This stuff just tastes like you shouldn't be eating it."

Horseradish and gravy sauce with roast beef slices.

25. "Cantaloupe. If a single person could make fruit salad without freaking cantaloupe, I would be a happy man. The texture, smell, taste, even the appearance of it makes me gag."

A colorful fruit salad.

26. "Blue cheese. Believe it or not, I'm actually not a fan of my food tasting like a big pile of mold."

Green salad with pear, walnuts, and blue cheese.

27. "Cauliflower. Don't tell me I can't taste the cauliflower you 'hid' in my mac and cheese. I can taste it, you devious monster."

Cauliflower mac and cheese.

What is a food or a specific ingredient that you simply can't stand? Tell us in the comments.