I Need Some Salty Goodness!

Hello Everyone!

This blog entry is inspired by a friend who recently told me that they get salt cravings, particularly in the evening. I let my friend know I would do some research about salt cravings and get back to them. I thought it might be a simple, not so interesting answer. However, upon doing some research I found salt cravings to be a very interesting topic! Have you ever had intense salt cravings and wondered why? As most of us know, salt is a great flavor enhancer that makes just about any food extra delicious. However, let take a deeper look at why we might crave salt.

Salt is a nutrient that plays and important role in many bodily functions, such as proper muscle contraction, maintaining proper fluid balance, and nerve transmission. When we crave salt, our body is usually telling us that something is out of balance. Let me share with you some reasons for those cravings.

1. Habit or Preference: Consuming food affects your mental and psychological well being just as much as your physical well being. You might crave that salty food item simply out of habit. How many of us absent mindedly grab the salt shaker and add salt to our food before even tasting it? How many of us grab a delicious salty snack for a movie night or as a reward after eating a fulfilling meal? How many days, months, or even years have we conditioned our bodies to consume and later crave salty food items? Our bodies may be looking for those salty items because they have become a part of our everyday lives.
2. Dehydration and Electrolytes: Dehydration can lead to electrolyte imbalance (sodium is an electrolyte). Craving salt may be your body’s way of telling you to drink more water, which will restore electrolyte balance. Take care to make sure you have consumed enough water, especially if you are sweating heavily.
3. Stress: You ever wonder why you crave a comforting, salty snack or meal when you are stressed? When you are stressed the body releases the hormone cortisol. Cortisol regulates the sodium in your body. When cortisol levels spike and dip due to stress, you may crave salt. Salt can also act as a pleasurable distraction from the stessors in your life.
4. Nutrient deficiencies: Sometimes, salt cravings are indicative of other nutrient deficiencies, such as magnesium, calcium, or potassium. Nutrient deficiencies can disrupt the balance of minerals and electrolytes, leading to salt cravings.
5. Sleep: It is important to get enough quality sleep. Lack of sleep can adversely affect your hormone levels, which can cause salt cravings.

Now that we know some causes of salt cravings, let’s talk about how we can decrease and deter these cravings.

1. Break the habit! : Maybe we did not realize that salt consumption was such an integral part of our lives before reading this post. Let’s take a look at our daily lives and see why are consuming so much salty deliciousness. Maybe we grew up with eating that way, and that is all we know. Maybe salt consumption is a tasty, rewarding, comfort for us. Maybe we are not familiar with other types of foods and spices that can be alternative options.
2. Water consumption: Make sure we are drinking enough water per day! There are many schools of thought of how much we should be drinking per day. I use the drink half of your weight in ounces method. An example is if you weigh 150 pounds you should divide that by 2, which makes 75 oz of water per day. You may need to drink a little less or a little more depending on your lifestyle. Also, consider your diet. If you are eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, or other foods with water that counts too!
3. Managing stress: Stress management can be tough. The average person has a lot going on in their lives. Find the stressors you can decrease or eliminate. Try your best to manage those stressors you cannot eliminate in a healthy manner. Some positive ways to manage stress include prayer/meditation, exercise, partaking in an activity you enjoy, spending time with family and friends, etc.
4. Consume a healthful diet: Try your best to consume a diet full of various nutrients. That diet will consist of mostly whole or minimally processed foods. Consider your portion sizes as well.
5. Get quality sleep: Obtaining quality sleep is great medicine. I know that can be challenging with all that we have going on in life. Try to prioritize sleep as best as you can.

Do you crave salty goodness for any of the reasons above? What steps are you taking to decrease your salt cravings?