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Health

Scientists discovered why cola and salty snacks taste so good together

Salty snacks taste great, but combining them with cola can enhance the flavour even further - and now we know why

By Sara Novak

17 May 2023

Cola and salty snacks aren’t particularly good for you, but they do taste nice

Ground Picture/Shutterstock

If you enjoy washing down salted crisps with a cool cola, you’re not alone. It turns out that an acid found in these beverages appears to open up sodium channels in our tongue’s taste receptors, enhancing the salty flavour. Adding the acid to food might therefore let manufacturers use less salt, which can raise the risk of high blood pressure, leading to heart attacks and strokes.

Daniel Mohr Collier at the University of Tennessee Health …

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