Why Do We Add Salt to Sweet Things?

You’re making some cookies for dessert and you see that the recipe calls for a half teaspoon of salt. You think to yourself, “I’m really craving something sweet, so why would I want salty cookies? No problem, I’ll just omit the salt.” Stop right there! That salt is in the recipe for a reason. Read on to find out why.

The Basics of Taste

When you chew you release molecules from the food you are eating. These molecules are then detected by sensory cells in your taste buds. These cells respond to one or more of the five major taste categories: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.

Sweet Taste Receptors

Sweetness is detected by the T1R family of taste receptors found on your tongue. Scientists have found that this is not the only way you can detect sweetness. A receptor called SGLT1 is also present in sweet taste cells. This receptor works as a transporter of sugar in the presence of sodium. This may explain one of the reasons why salt seems to enhance sweet flavors.

Salt Suppresses Bitterness

Sodium ions in salt bond to oral salt receptors. In low concentrations, they also suppress the mechanism that sends bitter and sour signals to your brain. Bitterness is not typically something people look for in a dessert, so this suppression enhances the overall flavor experience.

Overall Flavor Enhancement

While the exact science behind it is not yet totally clear, salt is also known to enhance other flavors besides sweetness. For example, the warm spices in a pumpkin pie shine in the presence of salt. This adds to the overall complexity of flavor. Because of this, omitting salt in a dessert recipe will lead to a flat taste. So you see, adding salt to baked goods isn’t necessarily meant to make them taste salty (although I do love a good sweet and salty combo), it is meant to make the other delicious flavors sing!