Broccoli is one of those vegetables that sparks strong opinions. Ask a room full of people what they think about it, and you’ll usually hear sighs, jokes, or memories of being forced to eat it as a child. Yet, despite all the teasing, broccoli keeps showing up on dinner plates, health plans, and restaurant menus. So the real question is: do people genuinely enjoy eating broccoli—or do they just tolerate it because it’s “good for you”?
The bad reputation: where it comes from
For many people, the dislike of broccoli started early in life. Overcooked, mushy, pale-green broccoli with a strong sulfur smell is enough to traumatize anyone’s taste buds. When broccoli is boiled too long, it releases compounds that smell unpleasant and taste bitter. If that’s your first experience, it’s no surprise you grow up thinking broccoli is the enemy.
There’s also biology involved. Some people are more sensitive to bitter flavors due to their genetics. For them, broccoli really does taste worse than it does to others. So yes—part of the hate is real, not exaggerated.