# Do you put salt on your pizza? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 28, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282 "2014-07-28T22:40:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/21 "2014-07-29T02:20:19Z")
The first (and only time) I saw someone put salt on a pizza it felt like I was on another planet. I just couldn’t understand why someone would do that. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/22 "2014-07-29T02:27:14Z")
I know one person who routinely salts everything, but I’ve never gotten into the habit. Maybe my taste buds are just fried, but I’ve never felt the need to put salt on anything whatsoever. Certainly never on pizza. I suspect this is learned behavior. If you grew up with your parents doing it, then you just do it naturally. In my house, no one ever did. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/23 "2014-07-29T02:46:34Z")
Sometimes. “There’s no such thing as too much salt.” If it’s an ordinary cheese pizza, then, hell yes. If it’s a big messy “garbage” pizza with “the works” all over it, then there isn’t as much need. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/24 "2014-07-29T03:09:29Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > I know at least four people who automatically put salt on just about everything, without even tasting it to see if it needs (more) salt first. It’s probably no coincidence that each of the four also takes medication for high blood pressure. Actually, it’s just about guaranteed that it _is_ a coincidence. Salt causing high blood pressure is one of those [health myths](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/its-time-to-end-the-war-on-salt/) that just won’t go away. That said, of course I put salt on my pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/25 "2014-07-29T03:57:06Z")
No I have never salted my pizza. I don’t make an effort to avoid salty food when I’m out, but I don’t use that much salt when I cook (a few pinches at most), and I very rarely add salt to my food once its on the plate. But my mom heavily and automatically salts almost everything she eats, including pizza. When we’re sharing appetizers in restaurants my wife and I make mom put some on a separate plate for herself because she salts it to the point where we can’t eat it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/26 "2014-07-29T04:47:07Z")
Something I witnessed myself, otherwise I’d never believe it: I was in a Chinese buffet restaurant in Amsterdam. A rather large woman (yes, wearing tight clothing) took a plate of food back to her table, took a salt shaker, unscrewed the top, and emptied its contents all over her food. No, she did not taste it first, if that matters. It takes a lot for me to lose my appetite, and that woman came close. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/27 "2014-07-29T07:08:37Z")
No, but every pizza place I’ve been to that provides the red pepper and parmesan also provides garlic salt, and I do use that occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/28 "2014-07-29T07:27:10Z")
Not deliberately no. When I moved here however I went with a friend to a nationally reknowned pizza place that had been voted best pizza in the United States that year in some magazine. My friend was from here and recommended we go. We got our pizza and he grabs the parmesian cheese and cheeses up his pizza then hands it to me and I do the same thing. The thing is, this pizza place charges for parmesian cheese and doesn’t provide it at the table. We had liberally dosed our pizza with sea salt. I tried my best to find something edible still on that pizza but without much luck. I wasn’t that impressed by their pizza on that trip but I have since been back and will admit that unsalted they do make a pretty mean pie. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/29 "2014-07-29T08:37:39Z")
Restaurant-bought pizza, no. But my wife occasionally undersalts her (amazing) homemade pizza, so I compensate. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/30 "2014-07-29T08:43:46Z")
I do salt some premade things, but only if they are sweet. It’s a tip I picked up from Alton Brown and Good Eats. It really can make foods that seem out of balance with their sweetness taste better. I also have to add a ton to my pancake batter. That’s the only mix I’ve ever had to do that too, though. I also have to add more water and flour and more sugar than the recipe requires. If you don’t do all of this, it tastes horrible. You do this, and it tastes like pancake batter. But salt on pizza? Just no. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/31 "2014-07-29T10:39:41Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Actually, it’s just about guaranteed that it _is_ a coincidence. Salt causing high blood pressure is one of those [health myths](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/its-time-to-end-the-war-on-salt/) that just won’t go away. > > That said, of course I put salt on my pizza. Huh. Ignorance fought. Although apparently many doctors are still recommending lower sodium diets to patients with high BP. Two of the people I mentioned (including the employee who salts her pizza) have told me specifically that their doctors have suggested using salt substitutes and various ways of lowering sodium intake. > [@BigT](#): > > I do salt some premade things, but only if they are sweet. It’s a tip I picked up from Alton Brown and Good Eats. It really can make foods that seem out of balance with their sweetness taste better. > > I also have to add a ton to my pancake batter. That’s the only mix I’ve ever had to do that too, though. I also have to add more water and flour and more sugar than the recipe requires. If you don’t do all of this, it tastes horrible. You do this, and it tastes like pancake batter. > > But salt on pizza? Just no. Interesting. I’m not a big fan of salty foods but salted dark chocolate, caramel and the like are very tasty. So this makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/32 "2014-07-29T11:14:43Z")
My sister does. Or used to. But then, as a teenager, she’d also take a bag of pretzels to her room and lick all the salt off of them. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/33 "2014-07-29T16:49:08Z")
Dear God, no, I don’t salt my pizza. I don’t add salt to anything, and when a recipe calls for salt, my wife or I (whomever is cooking) usually adds about 1/2 of the amount called for. I like tasting the flavor of food, not the flavor of salt. We had a company lunch a few years back and ordered pizza and salads. A coworker got her two slices on a paper plate and her bowl of salad in front of her, and salted both. of. them. She salted her fucking salad. Salt. On her salad. I’ve seen people salt their pizza a few times in my life, but this was a first for me. I’m still flabbergasted. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/34 "2014-07-29T17:13:22Z")
There is salt in all the normal ingredients (e.g. crust, sauce, cheese, pepperoni) so no. Although a veggie pizza might benefit from a sprinkle. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/35 "2014-07-29T17:35:39Z")
I might put a little on it, but not until after I’ve tasted it (unless I’m getting from a place I know, and know that it always needs a little salt). ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/36 "2014-07-29T17:38:39Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Or on any other (IMHO) inherently, already-salty foods? > > The notion is incomprehensible to me - I love pizza as much as the next woman, but pizza, fast-food burgers, fries, canned soup and other such foods already seem to be waaay salty enough as served up. > > I know at least four people who automatically put salt on just about everything, without even tasting it to see if it needs (more) salt first. It’s probably no coincidence that each of the four also takes medication for high blood pressure. > > How common is this? There was an anecdote about Mr J C Penny taking a prospective employee to lunch and if the person grabbed the salt shaker and started salting food without tasting it he would not hire that person for not having enuff info before making a decision. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/37 "2014-07-29T18:05:22Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > …She salted her fucking salad. Salt. On her salad… I don’t see why not. I sometimes put salt and pepper on salad. In fact it might even be most times. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/38 "2014-07-29T18:11:10Z")
> [@DingoelGringo](#): > > There was an anecdote about Mr J C Penny taking a prospective employee to lunch and if the person grabbed the salt shaker and started salting food without tasting it he would not hire that person for not having enuff info before making a decision. Attributed to [many people](http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/salted.asp). I wouldn’t be surprised if one this actually happened, though. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/39 "2014-07-29T18:38:58Z")
Salt, no. A ton of black pepper, yes. Some salt and pepper on salad, yes. I salt my fries but that’s because they’re no good anymore. McDonald’s French fries used to be perfect as is but now they’re bland, too. I wish they’d bring the lard back or that soupcon of toxic chemical that used to make them taste so good. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282/40 "2014-07-29T19:07:00Z")
I have salted pizza but not before tasting it. I will put pepper on some foods without tasting it. The interview scenario makes me think I would not want to work for someone who made decisions based on one factor. If I have a lunch interview I’ll be sure to salt food without tasting in case its a test. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-put-salt-on-your-pizza/694282.md?page=3)