This food is hated in SC above all others, a national website says. Do you agree?

If you’ve ever wondered what food South Carolinians hate the most, the website Sweet & Savory has your answer.

Matcha tea.

Not too surprising for a state that loves and celebrates its iced tea, sweet of course. It is so beloved, in fact, that Summerville, where sweet tea was born, has an annual festival in its honor, and it begins Saturday. Downtown Summerville becomes a massive open house, food truck roundup, artist gallery, performances and, of course, tea.

Anyway, about matcha tea. It has been used in Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries and is made from dried green tea leaves ground into a powder. Mixed with milk or water, it is said to have a bitter, vegetal, even grassy taste.

The website Love & Lemons, which features vegetarian dishes, says because the actual tea leaves are used rather than dipped in water and discarded, matcha tea has more antioxidants than regular green tea. Antioxidants help combat aging and fight diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart problems.

Matcha is also green and high in caffeine.

“Matcha’s grassy, umami flavor can be an acquired taste,” Love & Lemons states. “If you’re new to making it, don’t hesitate to add a few drops of maple syrup or honey.”

Now, you’re talking. Sweet tea.

Other states have some interesting hates, including California, which apparently hates Chick-Fil-A. What? Unthinkable in a state that seems to add a Chick-Fil-A regularly.

And horrors to Hawaii. They say no to Coca-Cola. Created in 1886 by a pharmacist in Atlanta, Coke is so ingrained in Southern culture, it has become the universally accepted term for all soft drinks.

Georgia folks, meanwhile, don’t like tuna salad.

Alabama: “The people in Alabama don’t have the stomach for Chipotle. Known for using high quality natural and organic ingredients in its food, this Mexican place cannot seem to crack its Alabama market,” Sweet & Savory says.

Is that a backhanded way of saying Alabamans don’t like organic food?

North Carolina: Big no on cottage cheese.

Neighbors Texas and Oklahoma not surprisingly have opinions about meat. Texas says well done steaks are an abomination while Oklahoma abhors veggie burgers.

And Floridians just can’t get into eating licorice.

The website doesn’t say how it came up with the hate list and a spokesperson could not be reached for comment. It describes itself on its website as a brand of SBLY Media, formerly Shareably, that uses data to inform its stories and grow its audience.

This story was originally published September 16, 2022 at 5:00 AM.