Taste buds can compensate for low-salt diet

Taste buds can compensate for low-salt diet


For food lovers, being put on a low-salt diet can feel like culinary purgatory. Now, science has an answer for that.

Taste buds can be “trained” to adapt to less sodium without spoiling the dining experience. That’s the upshot of a recent study by University of Kentucky researchers, who showed it’s possible to change taste perception gradually over time.

To do that, the scientists organized two groups of people. One group received standard, traditional care for high blood pressure, including medications and advice to follow a low-salt diet.

The other group received 16 weeks of education and follow-up with a telemedicine nurse. During that time, salt intake from cooking, seasoning at the dining table and restaurant meals was tracked with an electronic device.

The idea, the researchers said, was to make people in the second group cognizant of their salt intake. Before long, there were noticeable effects: Most of the people removed salt shakers from their dining tables within three weeks. In restaurants, they asked cooks to dial back the salt. Overall, the first group’s sodium consumption increased. Among the intervention group, salt intake dropped 30% during the research period.

But would a low-salt intervention ruin the eating experience? Not at all. Using a 10-point scale, the researchers found the intervention method actually boosted enjoyment of a salt-restricted diet. During the study, satisfaction from lower-sodium meals increased more than 35% among the participants. That shows taste buds can compensate for less sodium without affecting the enjoyment of a meal.

So, if your doctor says to hold the salt, know that your palate can eventually adapt.

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