Why You Should Add Salt to Your Coffee
The best part about coffee is that you can easily customize it. You can add just about anything. In this blog post, we'll go over why you should add salt to your coffee.
History of Salt in Coffee
Given the popularity of coffee, it is no surprise that there are always new trends popping up. Especially on social media, there are many new "must-try" recipes. However, as intriguing as adding salt to coffee sounds, it's actually not a new trend. In fact, it's actually been practiced for a while.
Adding salt to coffee has been a tradition in countries like Turkey, Hungary, and Siberia. This is because these countries have coastal areas where rivers and the seas meet. As a result, these water conditions create brackish water. This water is natural and has a slightly higher salt content than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. As a result of these people using brackish water, they enjoyed the benefits of salt in their coffee.
Why Put Salt in Coffee?
While adding salt to your coffee may sound a bit weird at first, it is actually not as bad as you might think. In fact, there are many reasons why adding salt to your coffee could improve your experience.
For instance, the pairing of sweet and salty flavors is not something entirely new. You can find this pairing in something as common as chocolate chip cookies. A tiny bit of salt is put on top of the cookie after it's baked. This is because the slight flavor of saltiness can bring out the flavor depths within the sweet treat.
As such, adding salt to your daily cup of coffee could help bring out the richness of your coffee roast. It could also help bring out the fruity and nutty flavors you might have otherwise missed!
What Happens When You Put Salt in Your Coffee?
Besides adding another dimension of flavor, adding salt to coffee has many benefits. So what happens when you drink salted coffee? Let’s break it down.
So, does salt make coffee less bitter? If you struggle with the bitterness of coffee, then adding salt could help you balance out the flavor. Salt can help bring out and highlight the natural sweetness of your coffee. While it doesn't completely stop the bitterness, it can certainly help balance it out.
Not to mention, adding salt to coffee is also helpful if your brewed coffee has turned stale. Stale coffee can be too bitter and leave a sour aftertaste in your mouth. By adding salt, more contrasting flavors like sweetness are brought to the forefront.
What about acidity? Well, it depends on the type of coffee you use. Some blends may be more acidic than others. If you think your coffee may be too acidic or citrusy, then adding salt can help soften the sharpness of the flavors.
The coffee experience is not just about the taste but also about the aroma. Not only can salt help round out the flavors of your coffee, but it can also amplify the smell.
How Much Salt Should I Put in my Coffee?
There are two ways you can include salt in your daily coffee. One way is to add a pinch of salt to your coffee grounds before you brew. The other and much easier way is to add a small pinch of salt to your already brewed coffee. While there are no set recipes, you only need to use a small amount of salt to taste and smell the benefits. Be sure not to add too much to your cup of coffee. A little goes a long way!
