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Why You Should Add Salt — Yes, Salt — to Your Tea, According to a Scientist
Food & Wine ^ | January 25, 2024 | Karla Walsh

Posted on 02/02/2024 6:58:34 PM PST by nickcarraway

The U.S. Embassy in London released an official statement to cool off this heated debate.

We learned back in junior high history class that Americans and Brits have quite the contentious relationship regarding tea. And as of this week, when Michelle Francl, Ph.D., a professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, released her new book, she stirred the pot even more — so much so that the U.S. Embassy in London felt it necessary to step in.

So what's Francl's proposition that's making waves across the pond? That your cup of tea is missing one very important ingredient that could make it far better: A pinch of salt.

In Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, Francl points to 8th-century Chinese manuscripts as the seed that inspired her to research. The text, Francl said, suggested stirring a bit of salt into each mug. According to Francl's analysis, the sodium in salt blocks a receptor on our tongues that tames the bitter sensation in tea, making it more pleasant to drink.

Across the pond, the staff at the The Guardian newspaper were not pleased. Declaring it an "outrageous tea recipe," they wrote that "a scientist from the country where you can find tea being made with lukewarm water from the tap claims to have found the recipe for a perfect cuppa." (In the U.K., by the way, the classically "correct" way to make tea involves pouring boiling water from a kettle into a mug, dropping in a bag of tea leaves or a tea-stepper, and allowing this to brew. A splash of milk or spoonful of sugar is optional.)

After conducting ample research on centuries of tea traditions and the latest chemical studies, Francl debuted her 240-page tome that was actually published by the U.K.'s Royal Society of Chemistry on January 24. Besides spilling the tea about her salty strategy, Francl also shares a few more tips for a better brew in that quickly-controversial book:

Add a squeeze of lemon juice to help clear up the "scum" that can occasionally form on the surface of tea when the chemicals in tea interact with the water.

Remove the lid from a to-go cup of tea to fully experience the aroma.

Dunk and squeeze the tea bag as it steeps; this can help quiet the sour sensations caused by the tannins.

To brew a perfect mug of decaf, steep the bag for 30 seconds, remove the bag from the mug, dump out the water, then add new boiling water and re-brew that bag for 5 minutes.

After seeing the passionate response on news and social media to the scientist's salty suggestion, The U.S. Embassy in London felt compelled to step in, sharing an official statement on X, which said, "Today's media reports of an American Professor's recipe for the 'perfect' cup of tea has landed our special bond with the United Kingdom in hot water … We want to ensure the good people of the U.K. that the unthinkable notion of adding salt to Britain's national drink is not official United States Policy. And never will be."

As for Francl, she told BBC that she "certainly did not mean to cause a diplomatic incident," adding that "my emails have been going crazy today. I did not anticipate waking up this morning to see loads of people talking about salt in their tea."

No matter where you land on this debate, and regardless of whether you're a tea newbie or tea master, Francl believes that only you can define what your own personal best cup includes.

"It is okay to experiment," she adds to BBC. "I did experiments in my kitchen for this — channel your inner scientist."


TOPICS: Food; Health/Medicine; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: rubbish; salt; tea; tldr
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To: nickcarraway
"Why You Should Add Salt — Yes, Salt — to Your Tea, According to a Scientist"

Why scientists should eat $hit and die.

21 posted on 02/02/2024 10:02:46 PM PST by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: nickcarraway

“ Wastin’ away again in Tea-ville
Searchin’ for my lost shaker of salt
Some people claim that there’s a Tea-girl to blame
But I know, it’s nobody’s fault“


22 posted on 02/02/2024 10:03:48 PM PST by Redcitizen
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To: nickcarraway

No thanks.


23 posted on 02/03/2024 2:43:22 AM PST by Pikachu_Dad
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To: nickcarraway

But some of us have a “ruined” palette and like the bitter flavor!


24 posted on 02/03/2024 2:46:11 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

Thank you


25 posted on 02/03/2024 6:30:32 AM PST by sopo
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To: nickcarraway

.


26 posted on 02/03/2024 7:32:45 AM PST by redinIllinois (Pro-life, accoountant, gun-totin' Grandma - multi issue voter )
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To: nickcarraway

Hanging around Asian countries during early adulthood confused me about tea. I remain befuddled to this day. Sampling British tea now would be a bridge too far.


27 posted on 02/03/2024 7:41:55 AM PST by sergeantdave (AI is the next iteration of a copy and paste machine.)
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To: nickcarraway

Every day I have a 1/3 gallon tea kettle on the stove, with just two tea bags, on Tetley black tea (bags do not leak) and one of green tea which are simmer for a while (if I watch the heat enough not to boil them), which afterwards I put in a steel thermos. Cheap way to go, thank God.


28 posted on 02/03/2024 9:13:14 AM PST by daniel1212 (Turn 2 the Lord Jesus who saves damned+destitute sinners on His acct, believe, b baptized+follow HIM)
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To: nickcarraway
that the unthinkable notion of adding salt to Britain's national drink is not official United States Policy. And never will be."

I thought our official policy was tea should be thrown in the harbor.

29 posted on 02/03/2024 11:50:01 AM PST by Repeat Offender (While the wicked stand confounded, call me with Thy saints surrounded.)
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To: nickcarraway
Or rancid yak butter.

If your tea is bitter you stewed rather then brewed it.

I think I will stick with honey. No salt.

30 posted on 02/03/2024 11:55:53 AM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear ( In a quaint alleyway, they graciously signaled for a vehicle on the main road to lead the way. )
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