Ever wondered why salt is so important to us in our diet? Ever noticed that the taste of something can actually change significantly after you’ve added salt? The Straight Dope has the answers:
Besides banging harder on the body’s salt gong, adding NaCl to some foods can increase the volatility of certain chemical compounds, meaning the molecules are more easily released to the air, and of course aroma is an important part of the taste experience. Finally, studies have shown the sodium in salt can suppress bitter tastes.
See full article for everything you wanted to know about salt, but were afraid to ask.