Will sugar no longer be preferred when sweetening coffee? Recently, it has become common to see people adding salt in coffee to maximize the flavor of the ancient drink. However, is adding this pinch of the ingredient beneficial for the health?
What does science say about putting salt in coffee?
Salt is a fundamental component in gastronomybeing used to enhance the flavors of foods and beverages. For many years, it was the main responsible for preserving food before the invention of the refrigerator and the freezer, ensuring a longer shelf life for meats and vegetables.
In drinks, such as coffeesalt is used to reduce the bitter and sharp flavor, especially in stronger preparations, such as in French presses or espresso machines.
But, contrary to what it may seem, this trend of adding salt to coffee is not new and has even been the subject of a study by the magazine Nature. Research from 1997 proved that salt can enhance the flavor of coffee and effectively contributes to reducing the bitterness of the drink.
This occurs because the palate can identify bitter, sour, sweet and salty flavors. Thus, when adding salt to coffee, the brain activates the receptors associated with the salty taste, which helps to reduce the perception of the bitter taste and, consequently, balances the different flavors.
While this practice is still a novelty in Brazil, in Scandinavian countries the habit of adding sodium chloride to coffee is already well-established. It is even part of the preparations for the wedding ceremony, as happens in Turkey, when the bride prepares coffee with salt for the bride. family of the future spouse.
Care when adding salt to coffee
While it’s great for adding flavor, too much salt can be harmful to health. Therefore, before you overdo it with the amount of spoons, remember that this ingredient is directly associated with hypertension, kidney failure and other illnesses.
For those who frequent coffee shops, it is not uncommon to find sachets of salt along with sugar. You may never have thought about the actual usefulness of this substance, but now you can test and see how coffee tastes with this unusual addition.
