And I don’t mean because I just like salty food.
Even with something basic like pasta, just adding salt can bring out more flavor in the dish beyond just the “salty” part. And I imagine there are 2 or 3 parts to the answer- why do we prefer the salted food? And what does the salt itself do to the food and it’s flavor?
Sorry if this is too subjective, but even amongst cooks there is a common belief that salt brings out flavor. My question is why?
Thank you
In: 1
Dopamine.
At least on psychological level. It’s the same reason we like sweet food or really any junk food. The salt gives us that feeling of satisfaction when we taste something that has a flavor. When we experience that it’s harder for us to go back to lame unsalted foods, so we seek out foods that give us that that hit.
Salt is used as a universal flavor improver because at low concentrations it will reduce bitterness, but increase sweet, sour and savory flavors.
It also reduces the activity of water in food, thereby concentrating the other flavors.
Hans need salt. Salt is hard to come by. Therefore we have acquired a strong taste for salt.
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