A Pinch of This Transforms Soups, Sauces, and Savory Dishes

For the longest time, I did not understand why recipes for tomato sauce sometimes called for a teaspoon of white sugar. Eventually I learned that the sugar offsets the acidity of the tomatoes, particularly if the tomatoes are out of season, underripe, of low quality, or straight from a can (which I typically use). 

And while it still feels counterintuitive to add sugar to a savory sauce that may be served with chile flakes and Parmesan cheese, I can now appreciate how it mellows out and deepens the flavor.

It turns out that sugar is beneficial to many non-sweet dishes. Becky Krystal writes for the Washington Post that sugar has the ability to mask undesirable tastes, such as counteracting too much salt. It can also balance out bitterness and sourness. Sometimes sugar goes even further, "amping up tastes that might otherwise fade into the background." How it does this is not quite understood, but sugar may activate the umami taste, sending satisfied signals to our brain, or enhancing aromas.

Sugar is also known to be helpful for browning. By adding it to spice rubs and marinades, you will ensure better caramelization on the surface of meats and vegetables. 

You don't need to be afraid of it turning otherwise healthy dishes into overly sweet, unhealthy versions of themselves. It doesn't take much sugar to make a difference. To quote Krystal again, "If you're well-practiced in seasoning your food to taste—and you really should be!—you'll know that whether it's sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar or whatever, you want to add a little bit at a time until it tastes right to you." 

When you reach that just-right endpoint, you'll know. If you go too far, the dish will taste sweet when it's not supposed to, and that is highly unappealing. The key is to add sugar in small pinches, much as you would salt, and to keep tasting until you sense the proper balance.

Sugar gets distributed throughout a recipe, divided among portions so that each person does not actually consume very much, but still reaps the benefits of its flavor-boosting power. As dietitian Ellie Krieger points out, it is smart to "incorporate less-healthful ingredients in small amounts, using them strategically to maximize the pleasure of eating well," if that puts you on "a more sustainable path to well-being in the long run."

Salad dressing is a good example of that. My favorite vinaigrette features fresh lime juice, cumin, olive oil, and a teaspoon of honey (a liquid sugar of sorts) that makes me much more inclined to eat large quantities of salad when I have it on hand. 

So, do not fear sugar when it is used judiciously and appropriately. It can make healthy, savory meals even tastier than they might be otherwise. Think of it as another tool in your culinary toolbox, like salt, pepper, and other spices.