Science of Salt

We have become a salt-obsessed society, but maybe we can blame our ancestors for that?

I cannot count how many times I thought a meal was just meh, but with a pinch of salt it magically turned into a dish full of deep and vibrant flavours. This is a great trick for anyone who, like me, isn’t an especially talented cook.

“Salt is so common, so easy to obtain, and so inexpensive that we have forgotten that from the beginning of civilization until about 100 years ago, salt was one of the most sought-after commodities in human history.”
— Mark Kurlanksy in A World History of Salt

It’s thought that humans began adding salt to their foods between 5,000–10,000 years ago, mainly to help preserve the food. An unforeseen consequence was that it also led to a worldwide acceptance and expectation of salty tasting food.

But there’s something special about salt. It doesn’t just make food salty. It’s more of a flavour enhancer, and is added to sweet as well as savoury foods. Salt pairs with nearly everything in our diet.

And it isn’t just humans who are salt-obsessed: Japanese macaques, a small primate species, have learned to dip potatoes in saltwater instead of freshwater. Apparently, the monkeys also enjoy how salt improves food.