Watermelon, especially ones that are a little underripe or just not that tasty, has a faint hint of bitterness and tart underneath all the sweet. Salt naturally cuts through those bitter notes, making the sweetness stand out more and be the star of each bite.

Salt can do this for more than watermelon, too. Naturally bitter foods, like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale, are frequently well salted to help balance the food’s bite and improve the desirable flavors. Other fruits, like grapefruit and cranberries, have a fair bit of bitterness compared to sweetness. Salt is a great way to enhance these fruits’ natural sweetness.

Salting watermelon also improves the fruit’s texture. A little sprinkling of salt brings all the liquid to the surface of the water-rich fruit. As a result, each bite is guaranteed to be juicy and sweet. Some people even salt their watermelon slices, wait a few minutes, then dig in to allow this process a little time to get going.