It has been said for a long time that Japanese people are taking in too much salt. According to the 2019 National Health and Nutrition Survey, the average daily salt intake for people aged 20 and over is 10.1g. This 10.1g salt intake is more than double the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended amount of 5.0g. Even though people know it is bad, many people are dissatisfied with low-salt diets because they don’t taste good. In this situation, Kirin Holdings (Kirin) has developed a tool that allows you to reduce salt and make food taste good at the same time.
Kirin has developed a spoon that amplifies the saltiness of food by passing a weak electric current that has no effect on the human body. The spoon that amplifies the saltiness is equipped with technology that can increase the perceived saltiness by up to 50%. This “electric salt spoon” was developed by Kirin based on joint research with Meiji University. It is a mechanism that makes you feel salty by collecting sodium ions contained in food and saliva to the taste receptors on the tongue. By passing a special waveform electric current, it is collected by the taste receptors on the tongue and makes you feel the saltiness more strongly. The spoon that amplifies the saltiness is expensive at $125. However, many people are happy if they can eat something that is healthy and delicious. For such people, this magic spoon may be a dream come true.
There is a study comparing salt intake, which is said to be bad for cardiovascular disease, between Fukushima Prefecture and Akita Prefecture. Both prefectures are in the top five for salt intake. Normally, both prefectures would be ranked as prefectures with a high rate of cardiovascular disease. As expected, cardiovascular disease in women in Fukushima was number one in the country. So, what about women in Akita? They are number 47 in the country. Attention has been focused on measures to prevent cardiovascular disease in women in Akita who consume salt. The hint is seaweed. There is a seaweed called akamoku. Kombu and wakame are popular seaweeds, but akamoku is a seaweed that has been eaten in small quantities in rural areas. This seaweed is known for its high potassium content. Potassium has the function of excreting urine. And potassium also has the function of excreting salt. When excreting urine, the same amount of salt as potassium is excreted. If you consume a lot of salt, you should understand the mechanism of salt excretion and have the wisdom and skills to excrete it, like the woman in Akita.
