Why Does Junk Food Not Taste Salty Even Though It Has Such High?

Why Does Junk Food Not Taste Salty Even Though It Has Such High?

Sodium seems to activate taste receptors. If there are insufficient levels of sodium ions, the receptors for other favors seem to have significantly reduced activity. Here’s an interesting thing that I have noticed. It is not the sodium itself that is interpreted as salty, but sodium chloride specifically. Trisodium citrate, by itself, even in crystal form, does not taste salty, or only as a faint trace, even though it has almost as much sodium as table salt. MSG also, does not have much of a salty taste, but is distinctly savory. The umami (savory) receptor seems particularly sensitive to needing sodium to work effectively. That seems to be why unsalted meat tastes very bland. Salt also supports and activates the richness of flavor of chocolate, even at levels that are below the threshold of detection for saltiness. “Too much” salt is not harmful to people with healthy renal systems. Too little salt poses a significantly increased risk for all cause morbidity. It is easy to dispose of excess sodium, it is much more energetically difficult for the kidneys to scavenge sodium in a deficiency condition. Under stressful conditions, like hot weather, especially during physical exertion, sodium deficiency can put you at significant risk of sudden death from hyponatremia. See. Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion, Mortality, and Cardiovascular Events | NEJM and listen to your body, not the USDA quack dietary recommendations.