Healthy snacks to satisfy your salt craving Fresh vegetables: Try sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, mini tomatoes, sugar snap peas, baby carrots or sliced beets. You can eat them plain or dip them in hummus or a dip made with Greek yogurt.
Calcium and Magnesium:
Low levels of these two minerals—which often go hand in hand—prime you for sugar and salt cravings. Low magnesium levels, specifically, are known to trigger chocolate cravings.
In Addison's disease, the adrenal glands, located just above the kidneys, produce too little cortisol and, often, too little aldosterone. These hormones regulate important body functions and help the body respond to stress. Addison's disease can cause a salt craving that's new, ongoing and excessive.
Minno suggests popcorn as a great alternative for a bag of potato chips. "It satisfies your salty craving and your crunchy craving for around 30 calories per cup!" she says. "If you want to add extra flavor, pop it in a saucepan with extra virgin olive oil and different spices like garlic, rosemary, or cayenne pepper."
Anemia results in fatigue, muscle cramps, confusion, and fainting, apart from pica and can cause salt cravings. Iron deficiency anemia can also be related to other problems, which affect sodium balance.
Sodium deficiency triggers the activation of these hormonal systems and neural circuits to engage motivational processes that elicit a craving for salty substances and a state of reward when salty foods are consumed.
You're not hydrating enough
If you sweat a lot from heat or exercise or haven't consumed enough water throughout your day, you may find you start craving sodium. “Our body loves balance, so when our sodium level drops, your body will send you a message to let you know that you need sodium to rebalance,” Prest says.
This is the American Heart Association's Salty Six Infographic highlighting six popular foods that can add high levels of sodium to your diet. They are bread and rolls, cold cuts, cured meat, pizza, poultry, soup, and sandwiches. Please see AHA/ASA Multimedia Materials Usage Policy.
Some salts are considered healthier than others, such as pink Himalayan salt and different types of sea salt. These are revered for their taste and texture compared to regular table salt. They are also preferred by some because most (but not all) are less processed and may contain more trace minerals.
What deficiency causes sugar cravings? Lacking magnesium affects the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels and deliver energy into the cells which can instigate sugar cravings. Eat more magnesium rich foods like raw nuts, seeds, avocados, cacao, leafy greens, and bananas.
If too much salt is lost, the level of fluid in the blood will drop. Hyponatremia is a condition that occurs when the sodium in your blood falls below the normal range of 135–145 mEq/L. In severe cases, low sodium levels in the body can lead to muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting and dizziness.
The number one symptom (a.k.a. body message) of vitamin B12 deficiency is fatigue. I was craving salty foods because my adrenal glands were on overdrive, trying to keep me going by flooding my body with cortisol. This explains why I often reached for a bag of salty potato chips after coming home from work.
Craving for salty foods may be due to some factors- one among them is calcium deficiency. Sodium temporarily increases calcium levels in the blood, tricking the body that it has been given calcium.
Iron deficiency can cause you to have unusual cravings for non-food items such as ice, dirt or paper.
The researchers speculate that as you approach ovulation, high estrogen triggers a bigger feel-good buzz in your brain when you eat salt, making you want to consume more.
Potassium Chloride
Salt substitutes made from potassium chloride alone look like regular salt and have a salty flavor, but have zero sodium. “But potassium doesn't activate the same taste cells as sodium,” Breslin says. That's why people complain that these substitutes often leave a bitter or metallic aftertaste.
The most commonly used salt substitute is potassium chloride, which contains no sodium but has a salt-like flavor.
Those with the most dire need for salt will typically have lower blood pressure. An ideal blood pressure would be close to 115/75. Someone with a lower blood pressure may need salt and will likely be light-headed when they go from kneeling to standing. Urine pH can also indicate a need for salt.