Taste enhancing chopsticks make food taste saltier

NEW YORK - New chopsticks claim to make lower-sodium foods taste saltier using a small electric current.

Researchers in Japan hope they will make healthy foods taste better for people who like the taste of salt but should cut back because of high blood pressure.

The utensils are hooked to a special device on the user's write that sends the current through what they're eating.  It activates any sodium ions and allows their tongue to taste more salt than is actually in the food.

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It is normal for blood pressure to fluctuate throughout the day but if it remains too high it can lead to heart disease and stroke.

The CDC says roughly half of all adults in the U.S. suffer from high blood pressure but only 24-percent manage it properly.  More than 500,000 deaths in 2019 were blamed on hypertension.