Why is salt an appetite enhancer?

About specific vitamines, minerals or fiber, for example
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Oscar
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Why is salt an appetite enhancer?

Post by Oscar »

Why is salt an appetite enhancer?
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RRM
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Re: Salt

Post by RRM »

Because of the neurochemical processes it activates/stimulates
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Oscar
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Re: Salt

Post by Oscar »

Let me rephrase my question: looking at nature, what's the use of salt being an appetite enhancer?
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Re: Salt

Post by RRM »

Our tastes represent what we need most (and what we should avoid: bitterness, acidity).
Naturally, salt is relatively scarse in foods. As a result, in many animals saltiness is a basic taste; so that foods can be selected on their level of saltiness. Similarly, free glucose/fructose/sucrose is relatively scarse in foods (as opposed to the 'sugars' in fibers), and therefore sweetness is also a basic taste.
Therefore, salt and sugar are taste enhancers; their taste encourages us to eat more of it.
Our body is mostly water, and to regulate those amounts, we need electrolytes, and most notably salt. For some reason, animals need more salt (higher salt content) than plants, so that particularly in animals consuming a lot of plant foods (such as fruits), the need for extra salt will be greatest. Consuming only animal foods, you don't need extra salt.
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Re: Why is salt an appetite enhancer?

Post by Oscar »

Gotcha. I guess glutamate is also important enough for us to have umami taste buds.
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Aytundra
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Re: Why is salt an appetite enhancer?

Post by Aytundra »

Image
"After i remoove da salt off da car popsicle appetizer, i'll go eat some moss fer lunch!" -- Moose
A tundra where will we be without trees? Thannnks!
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RRM
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Re: Why is salt an appetite enhancer?

Post by RRM »

Naturally, glutamate (in plants / animals) more or less represents protein levels. Thats because redundant protein is broken down to amino acids. Using amino acids for fuel (initially by transamination), lots of glutamate is formed (and eventually deaminated).
We love eating fat and sugar, and the umami taste buds make sure we also love protein.
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