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A new battery-powered spoon makes food taste saltier. It is called the Electric Salt Spoon. It was created in Japan by researchers and the drinks company Kirin. The spoon will help people cut down on the amount of salt they eat. It sends a weak electric current to the tongue. We cannot feel the current. However, it makes salt taste one and a half times stronger. This means we can have less salt, but still taste it. A researcher said: "Japan has a food culture [with] salty tastes. People need to reduce the amount of salt in their food." However, she said food with no salt is tasteless.
Too much salt can cause heart problems, high blood pressure, and strokes. These are the leading causes of death globally. The WHO says we should have less than 5 grams a day. In Japan, the average person has around 10.1g of salt a day. That's higher than 8.5g for Americans. Around 75 per cent of salt in our diet comes from processed foods, and from things like soy sauce. The Electric Salt Spoon costs 19,800 yen (around $99). Kirin hopes to sell a million of them over the next five years. The spoon's developer has also created electric chopsticks. These will go on sale next year.
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