Why adding salt to your coffee is a good idea

They might get roasted for this one.

Java junkies appear to have brewed up a hot cup of controversy on social media over the claim that a hint of salt makes the morning cup of coffee more flavorful and less bitter.

But the bizarre-sounding hack, which has recently been making a stir on TikTok, is not without merit, according to researchers, who in the past have found salt to be an effective curb on coffee’s sometimes brutal bite.

Experts like food scientist Alton Brown agree — Brown was a vocal advocate for the idea on his former Food Network show, Good Eats, enough that some joe drinkers are known to refer to the move as the “Alton Brown trick.”

And in entire countries like Taiwan, sea salt-blended coffees are an everyday treat, found on menus in Taiwanese cafes and bakeries all around the world, including in the United States.

Dr. Anis Khalaf, an Orlando-based acupuncturist, told his TikTok followers recently that drinking “excess amounts of coffee may also cause the body to lose sodium,” making the idea of supplemental salt a good idea — beyond merely neutralizing the bitter notes.

Another TIkTok user, @heritagehousehomestead, said the tactic helped them to say “goodbye to coffee heartburn,” suggesting followers add salt to coffee grounds prior to brewing.

While some commenters got a little, well, salty, others were lining up in support,.

“I drink my coffee black. The salt also brings out the coffee’s flavor,” one claimed.

Others highlighted the technique’s classic appeal, with some reporting that the notion had been passed down in their families for generations.

“Grandpa always did this when he made coffee in the Navy on a submarine. Totally works when we go camping with a good old fashioned percolator,” one user commented.

“My grandfather taught me this in the 60s,” another said.