A battery-powered spoon that food taste saltier is now in stores in Japan. It is the Electric Salt Spoon. It was by researchers from Tokyo's Meiji University and the Japanese drinks company Kirin. They their spoon will help people to down on the amount of salt they eat. The spoon a weak electric current to the tongue. The current is too weak to be . However, it makes salt taste up to one and a half times stronger. This means we can eat food with less salt, but still a salty taste. Researcher Ai Sato said: "Japan has a food culture that to favour salty tastes. People need to the amount of salt in their food." However, she added that food with no salt is bland and tasteless.
Salt important for our health. However, too much of it can cardiovascular diseases, like high blood pressure, strokes, and heart problems. These the leading causes of death globally. The World Health Organization a daily salt intake of less than 5 grams. In Japan, the average person around 10.1g of salt a day. That's higher than the average of 8.5g for Americans. In many countries, around 75 per cent of salt in the diet from processed foods, and from things like soy sauce. The Electric Salt Spoon 19,800 yen (around $99). Kirin to sell a million of them over the next five years. The spoon's developer has also electric chopsticks. These will on sale next year.
