Tag: Flavor layering

According to food scientists, combining salt and sugar triggers a powerful pleasure response in the brain, creating a complex taste sensation. This phenomenon is a culinary masterstroke, and understanding what happens when you put salt and sugar together can elevate your cooking to a new level.

Recent research published in the *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences* found that certain sugar receptors on the tongue are actually activated only when salt is present, helping to explain the profound biological appeal of this flavor combination. But what is the sweet and salty effect, and why has it become such a mainstay in our diets?