Can you use salt in tea?
Every now and then, food and drink trends emerge that cause a stir and raise eyebrows. One such trend that has been getting some attention lately is using salt in tea. An American researcher named Michelle Francl suggests that this little addition can enhance the taste of our favorite beverage. But is it really something we should all try? Let's take a closer look.
Crazy idea?
In an article published on BBC News, Michelle Francl discusses the benefits of adding a pinch of salt to your tea. She argues that salt not only enhances the flavor, but can also reduce the bitter aftertaste of some teas. It may sound strange at first glance, but Francl isn't just any scientist - she's a professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and has been exploring the science of taste for over 30 years. But it's not actually a brand new discovery. Professor Francl tells us about a Chinese document from the 7th century, which describes adding a little salt to your tea. In fact, during the Tang Dynasty, tea was one ingredient among many, if you stewed the tea leaves with onions, salt and other things. In some areas, such as Tibet, it is customary to use salt in tea, and preferably yak butter. And even here in Scandinavia, our indigenous Sami people have used salt in a similar way in their coffee. Of course, it's not salt instead of sugar. It's a matter of getting more flavor out of it, as meltwater or water from mountain streams often has very small amounts of minerals/trace elements, and it simply becomes more flavorful with a tiny pinch of salt.
Tea and taste buds
To understand how salt can improve the taste of tea, we need to understand how taste buds work. Our taste buds are sensitive to different flavors such as sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness and umami. When we add salt to food or drink, the receptors for bitterness are blocked to some extent, allowing the other flavors to come out more. Approximately.
Try it yourself - how do you do it?
We tried, of course, to brew a relatively bitter tea, and see if you can influence the taste. One simple thing is to brew a green tea at too high a temperature, then it quickly becomes bitter. Amanda really thought it made a difference in an interesting way. Yes, the bitterness was slightly reduced, and the taste became a little rounder.
If you are curious to try salt in your tea, it may be worth a try. Brew your tea as usual, and stir in a little, little salt. One tip is to start with a minimal amount of salt and gradually increase. It should be so little that you don't feel it, i.e. the tea should not taste salty. If it tastes salty, you have used too much. Feel free to use a spice measure, and sprinkle carefully, so you know for the next time what amount is the right one.
Finally
It's a bit exciting with all the different habits and traditions around tea. Some you stick to and continue with, others may give you some perspective and experience. What salt in tea will be, we'll see.