Food & Drink

I've Been Drinking Coffee for Years-Then I Learned Why a Tiny Pinch of Salt Changes Everything

By Jo Ann Liguori Parade - Food and Drink Stories

Updated July 6, 2026 8:54 AM

I'm a coffee person. My day hasn't started until I've had my first cup, followed shortly by my second (and sometimes a mid-afternoon iced coffee). Whether I'm grabbing a cup on the go or making coffee at home, that daily caffeine ritual is what gets me through the morning (and sometimes the afternoon).

For years, coffee drinkers have debated the best ways to improve a bitter cup: add cream, stir in sugar, buy better beans or grounds or invest in a more sophisticated brewing setup. But lately, one surprisingly simple trick has been making waves on social media: Add salt.

I'll admit that I was skeptical. Salt belongs in savory dishes-not a cup of Joe. Right?

Wrong, according to Ed McCormick, a food scientist and author of the forthcoming book The Food Questions America Is Asking.

He explains that not only does salt improve coffee, but that the idea is far from new. "Adding salt to coffee has been around for generations," he tells Parade. "Sailors, campers, military personnel and people brewing inexpensive coffee have long used a small pinch of salt to tame bitterness. Scandinavian traditions, Turkish coffee variations and even some U.S. military field cooks have used this technique for decades."

So why is everyone suddenly talking about it? Ah, once again, the reach of social media. Plus, the appeal is simple: It's cheap, easy and requires no special equipment. A tiny amount of something already sitting in your kitchen is all you need.

But what does adding salt do to coffee, and does it actually improve the taste-or is this just another internet food trend? Let's pour out what happens when salt meets your morning brew.

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Why Put Salt in Coffee? The Science Behind the Trend

The science behind salted coffee comes down to how we experience flavor.

Coffee contains hundreds of flavor compounds, including compounds that contribute to bitterness-especially when coffee is over-roasted or over-extracted.

"Salt doesn't remove those bitter compounds," McCormick explains. "Instead, the sodium ions interfere with how our taste receptors interpret bitterness." In other words, the coffee itself isn't changing. The way your brain perceives it is.

"The chemistry of coffee remains essentially the same," he says. "What changes is how our taste system responds. Sodium suppresses bitter taste signals while allowing other flavors to stand out more clearly." Think of it like turning down the volume on bitterness rather than changing the coffee recipe.

Salt is especially helpful for coffee that naturally leans bitter, including dark roasts, over-extracted coffee, budget coffee made from lower-grade beans, office coffee that has been sitting all day and percolated coffee.

However, it isn't a magic fix. "Salt is a bitterness reducer, not a miracle cure for every bad cup," McCormick says. Stale beans, poor-quality coffee or dirty equipment can create flavors that salt cannot hide.

How To Add Salt to Your Coffee (The Right Way)

If you want to try salted coffee, start small.

McCormick recommends adding salt after brewing so you can taste the coffee first and adjust as needed. For an 8-ounce cup of coffee, McCormick says, start with about 1/32 to 1/16 teaspoon of salt. Stir thoroughly and taste before adding more. "The goal isn't salty coffee. The goal is smoother coffee."

Alternatively, according to Cook's Illustrated, you can add 1/8 teaspoon to the grounds before brewing a full 40-ounce pot.

As for which type of salt to use, almost any food-grade salt will work, since sodium is what creates the effect. McCormick recommends ordinary table salt because it dissolves quickly and provides consistent measurements. Kosher salt can work too, but brands vary in crystal size, so measurements are not always interchangeable. Leave the fancy finishing salts in the pantry.

My Experience: Trying the ‘Pinch of Salt' Coffee Trick

The Coffee I Used

For my test, I used a standard cup of coffee and treated the salt like a seasoning rather than an ingredient. (Yes, I used my favorite pod in my Keurig; don't judge me. I said I was a coffee person-not a coffee snob.)

What I Did

I brewed the coffee first, tasted it, then added 1/32 teaspoon of salt. Most people don't have measuring spoons in such small increments (I bought them just to write this article). Use the ¼ teaspoon (the smallest size in most sets) and fill in one-eighth of the way-or just eyeball it. Then I stirred the coffee and tasted it.

The Taste Test: Before vs. After Salt

The biggest difference wasn't that the coffee tasted salty: It was that the bitterness became less noticeable. Which is exactly what McCormick says should happen. "Think of it the same way chefs use a tiny pinch of salt in desserts," he says. "The salt isn't there to add a salty flavor. It's there to balance other flavors and reduce harshness."

Frequently Asked Questions About Salted Coffee

How much salt should you put in coffee?

You need just a teeny-tiny amount: about 1/32 to 1/16 teaspoon for an 8-ounce cup. (By the way: The technical term for 1/32 teaspoon is "a smidgen," and for 1/16 teaspoon, it's "a pinch.") Add less than you think you need, stir and taste. "If you can taste the salt, you've probably added too much," McCormick says.

Why does salt reduce coffee bitterness?

Salt doesn't chemically neutralize bitterness. The bitter compounds remain in the coffee. Instead, sodium changes how taste receptors and the brain interpret those compounds. It reduces the intensity of bitterness, allowing other flavors-like sweetness, chocolate, fruit and aroma-to become more noticeable.

Who started the salt in coffee trend?

No single person started it. The practice has existed for generations, including among sailors, campers, military cooks and coffee drinkers looking to improve inexpensive or bitter coffee. Social media simply brought an old trick back into the spotlight.

More Ways To Improve Your Morning Cup

Salt isn't the only simple way to improve your coffee. McCormick recommends a few other easy tweaks that can make a noticeable difference:

Use filtered water. Since coffee is about 98% water, water quality can have a major impact. Filtered water can help prevent off-flavors caused by chlorine or excess minerals.
Clean your coffee maker regularly. Old coffee oils and mineral buildup can create stale flavors.
Grind coffee right before brewing. Once coffee is ground, aromatic compounds escape faster. Grinding fresh helps preserve more flavor.
Don't drink your coffee piping hot. One of McCormick's favorite "hidden science" tips is that your tongue detects flavors, but your nose experiences much of what you think of as taste. As coffee cools slightly, more aromatic compounds are released, making flavors like chocolate, caramel, nutty, fruity and floral notes easier to notice.

The Bottom Line

Salted coffee isn't a secret to better brewing-it's a backup plan for a bitter cup. But if you've got nothing to lose, a tiny pinch may be worth a try.

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Sources:

Edmund "Ed" McCormick is a food science consultant and ingredient specialist whose work focuses on the chemistry of taste, texture and functional food ingredients. He is the founder, primary author, scientific voice and educator behind Cape Crystal Brands. His next book, The Food Questions America Is Asking: How Journalists and Scientists Are Redefining What We Eat, is slated for release later this year.
Instagram: Cook's Illustrated: "Add Salt to Coffee"

This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 7:44 AM.