Why you should add salt to your coffee

London: As ridiculous as it may sound, coffee drinkers are now claiming that we should be adding salt — not sugar — to our cups of Joe, if we’re not keen on the bitterness. This latest trend is actually backed by science.

A study from the journal Nature

showed that the sodium ions suppress the bitterness in coffee and enhance its flavour.

However, it shouldn’t be added to every cup of coffee. If it’s particularly bitter, a small pinch of salt would help to mellow the overall flavour.

So, next time you order your morning coffee and the first sip makes your face shrink, add a dash of salt and take off the bitter edge.

This isn’t the first time that beverage buffs have lauded the properties of salt though. Vino experts have previously touted the seasoning for its ability to smooth and balance the flavours of some low-cost bottles of wine.

Former Microsoft chief technology officer Nathan Myhrvold made the discovery at a dinner party after he added a pinch of salt to another guest’s glass of Cabernet.

Consequently, he found that the overall taste of the wine had improved. Unlike sugar, you need very little of salt to make the difference. Anything more than a tiny pinch will your coffee or wine. After all, no one wants caffeinated seawater.