Why you should add salt to your coffee instead of sugar

People are deliberately adding salt to their coffee in an attempt to improve its flavour.

Coffee drinkers are a pretty creative bunch. From triple venti soy no-foam lattes to espresso spread, they’re always coming up with new ways to incorporate caffeine into their lifestyles.

But this latest trend, however alien it may sound, is actually backed by science.

A study from the journal Nature showed that sodium ions suppress the bitterness in coffee and actually enhance its flavour.

And while it shouldn’t be added to every cup of coffee, if its particularly bitter then a small pinch of salt will help to mellow the overall flavour.

So, next time you order your morning coffee and the first sip makes your face shrink, whip out your finest Salt Bae impression and add a dash of salt to take off the bitter edge.

This isn’t the first time 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.

A word of warning here though - be careful not to add too much salt to your cup of Joe, as anything more than a small pinch will leave your coffee tasting worse off than before.