Fruit with salt is sweeter, helps body retain water
Fruit with salt is sweeter, helps body retain water
2026-08-27
Some people swear by sprinkling salt on fruit to bring out its sweetness. The trend was recently endorsed by a Japanese doctor who recommended eating bananas with salt to replenish minerals and help the body retain water. Nutritionists say sodium helps reduce sour and bitter flavors, balancing the taste and bringing out the fruit’s natural sweetness.
Lin Li
Reporter
In the summer heat, lots of people like to eat watermelon to cool down. But one Japanese doctor recommended having a banana with salt to beat the heat.
Dr. Fukuda Rikka from Yamanashi said that sodium, magnesium, and potassium help the body retain water. He recommended salted bananas, as the fruit is rich in potassium and magnesium, while salt provides sodium.
Member of public
Wouldn’t try it
Is it like sarsaparilla with salt? I don’t think I’d try it. I sprinkle salt on pineapple. It makes it less harsh on the tongue. Fruit is supposed to be sweet.
Member of public
Not into salt
Tomato with ginger is okay. I feel like having a watermelon that’s salty wouldn’t cool me down.
Salt draws out moisture from the fruit, concentrating the sugars and making it taste sweeter. Salt water can keep apples from browning, bring out the sweetness of watermelon and wax apples, and help prevent a sore mouth from pineapple, while salted star fruit is said to soothe the throat. Fruit vendors also use salt water to keep cut fruit fresh for longer.
Fruit vendor
Uses salt water
We soak fruit in cold salt water. Mangoes are also salted. Basically, if a mango isn’t ripe, it’s eaten with salt, otherwise it’s sour. The salt enhances the flavor. Watermelon with salt is also pretty good.
Salt reduces sour and bitter flavors, making the fruit taste sweeter. Fruits that are sweet, tart, and have a high water content are especially good with a little salt.
Hsia Tzu-wen
Nutritionist
Adding salt to fruit changes the osmotic pressure, causing it to release more water and juice, while the salt helps balance the flavor. Fruit provides sugar and minerals such as potassium, while salt provides sodium chloride, so it’s fine to eat fruit with a moderate amount of salt.
The nutritionist also reminded people to replenish water and electrolytes if they sweat a lot in the summer. She also recommended that people with high blood pressure or kidney or heart problems limit their salt intake. Even healthy foods should be consumed in moderation to maintain a balanced diet.
#fruit #salt #summer #saltedfruit #watermelon #banana #sodium #sweet
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"水果+鹽"更美味? 營養師:鈉離子降"酸.苦味"平衡味覺
2026-08-27
有些民眾在吃水果時，會有沾鹽巴、或梅粉的習慣，可以增加水果的滋味，近期日本有醫師就推薦，香蕉加鹽巴，一次補足鈉、鎂、鉀三種成分，鎖住身體水分，在台灣，大家這樣沾鹽巴、泡鹽巴水，主要想要增加甜味，營養師解釋，是因為鈉離子能降低酸味、跟苦味，平衡味覺。
[[記者 林莉]]
"炎炎夏日，如何從裡涼到外，很多人可能會想要來片西瓜，降降暑氣，但在日本，有醫生推薦抗暑奇招，就是香蕉加點鹽。"
香蕉加鹽巴，這是日本山梨縣醫師福田六花的推薦，因為鈉、鉀、鎂，這三種成分，能有效替身體鎖住水分，香蕉富含鉀跟鎂，加點鹽，就能補齊鈉元素。
[[民眾]]
"是像沙士加鹽的那種感覺嗎，我覺得我不會試。鳳梨抹鹽啊，比較不會咬舌頭，水果就是要吃甜的啊，
[[民眾]]
“番茄加薑汁可以，吃西瓜又鹹鹹的，感覺沒有消暑的感覺啊。"
撒鹽，能讓水果局部脫水，跟不甜的水分離，讓糖分留下，集中在有撒鹽的位置，吃起來味道更好，像是大家熟知的蘋果泡鹽水能抗氧化，西瓜、蓮霧加鹽巴，能增加甜味，鳳梨泡鹽水防嘴破，以及楊桃加點鹽，潤喉爽聲、又消火氣。水果行業者也說，店裡現切水果，也會泡過鹽水，能讓食物多放一點時間。
[[水果行業者]]
"一是用冰鹽巴水去泡（水果）。基本上芒果也會沾（鹽巴）啊，芒果只要沒有熟的話，就會沾鹽巴（吃），不然會酸澀啊，鹽巴整個會提味，西瓜沾鹽巴還不錯吃。"
原理其實很簡單，鹽巴的 鈉離子 會降低酸味、和苦味的敏感度，甜味感受度就會上升，像是有甜度，但酸度也高、水分也多的水果，就很適合加點鹽巴一起吃。
[[營養師 夏子雯]]
“水果加上鹽巴，也會改變滲透壓，就會釋放出，更多的水分還有果汁，而且鹽巴也有平衡味覺的效果。補充水果的話，可以補充糖分還有礦物質鉀，鹽巴的話還有氯化鈉，適量的補充水果加鹽巴，是可以的。”
營養師也提醒，如果是大量流汗，還是要另外補充電解質、以及水分。另外像是高血壓、腎臟衰竭、心衰竭的患者，要特別控制鹽攝取量，以及有些人喜歡水果加梅粉更有味道，要小心可能有甘味劑、或人工添加物，好吃的同時，都得要適量才能真正吃得健康。
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