Salt Cravings

Recently I've been analyzing food cravings as a means of figuring out what kind of diet is optimal for my individual body chemistry.

I realized that when I crave meat, it feels as though my body is asking for a particular preparation of the meat rather than the meat itself. I have soft-boiled eggs with a good amount of salt/pepper and I season my beef with salt, turmeric, and some other herbs. I don't crave meat without seasoning (salt being the most important)...in fact meat without seasoning sounds downright gross. Another factor to think about is the heat...meaty foods wouldn't taste nearly as good if they weren't nice and hot.

So now I'm considering the possibility that my body is really just craving salt, and not the fat/protein in animal products. The last time I was longing for some meat, I considered eating some chocolate or almonds instead and realized that I would find neither very satisfying. Note that both chocolate and almonds are loaded with the saturated/mono-unsaturated fats found in animal products. And then I analyzed my mood a little bit more and felt that some plain white rice (heated) with some salt would hit the spot.

abc123 mentioned in a post a while ago that hypothyroid people have trouble retaining sodium.

Take away message...
The way in which we prepare food might alter our psychological response to food in such a way that misdirects our food cravings, which would otherwise serve as an excellent way to figure out what our bodies need.

And now I'm wondering why do we crave salt? It doesn't occur in large amounts in any natural foods (at least I can't think of any).

imprisoned-radical wrote:Recently I've been analyzing food cravings as a means of figuring out what kind of diet is optimal for my individual body chemistry.

I realized that when I crave meat, it feels as though my body is asking for a particular preparation of the meat rather than the meat itself. I have soft-boiled eggs with a good amount of salt/pepper and I season my beef with salt, turmeric, and some other herbs. I don't crave meat without seasoning (salt in particular)...in fact meat without seasoning sounds downright gross. Another factor to think about is the heat...meaty foods wouldn't taste as good if they weren't nice and hot.

So now I'm considering the possibility that my body is really just craving salt, and not the fat/protein in animal products. The last time I was longing for some meat, I considered eating some chocolate or almonds instead and realized that neither would satisfy me. Note that both chocolate and almonds are loaded with the saturated/mono-unsaturated fats found in animal products. And then I analyzed my mood a little bit more and felt that some plain white rice (heated) with some salt would hit the spot.

abc123 mentioned in a post a while ago that hypothyroid people have trouble retaining sodium.

Take away message...
The way in which we prepare food might alter our psychological response to food in such a way that misdirects our food cravings, which would otherwise serve as an excellent way to figure out what our bodies need.

And now I'm wondering why do we crave salt? It doesn't occur in large amounts in any natural foods (at least I can't think of any).

I've noticed the same with regards to meat and my taste for it. I wasn't craving the meat at all, just the salt. Meat by itself really does not taste great or fill any craving for me.

Sodium is very important, main stream science has just done a great job of demonizing it. I have often wondered why we crave for it seeing as it's not present in large amounts in any natural food.

Hypoadrenic people also crave and need salt. So maybe you're hypoadrenic...?

I was diagnosed with hypoadrenism back in the spring, and the first glass of cold salted water I ever drank upon arising tasted like *heaven*. 1/4 teaspoon per 8 oz water. I salt most of my water now and add salt liberally to my food. I've been using celtic sea salt but have contemplated using Himalayan salt. However, I've read some negative stuff about the himalayan salt (there's a lot of halogens in it, there are no salt mines in the Himalayas, and it actually comes from Pakistan, etc.) so not sure if I want to go there for salt loading. Mostly because of the halogens. Still on the fence about that.

I think "salt loading" has really helped me. I noticed a beneficial difference in my water balance right away.

whodathunkit wrote:Hypoadrenic people also crave and need salt. So maybe you're hypoadrenic...?

I was diagnosed with hypoadrenism back in the spring, and the first glass of cold salted water I ever drank upon arising tasted like *heaven*. 1/4 teaspoon per 8 oz water. I salt most of my water now and add salt liberally to my food. I've been using celtic sea salt but have contemplated using Himalayan salt. However, I've read some negative stuff about the himalayan salt (there's a lot of halogens in it, there are no salt mines in the Himalayas, and it actually comes from Pakistan, etc.) so not sure if I want to go there for salt loading. Mostly because of the halogens. Still on the fence about that.

I think "salt loading" has really helped me. I noticed a beneficial difference in my water balance right away.

I agree that salt cravings are probably due to adrenal imbalance. From wikipedia:

The name mineralocorticoid derives from early observations that these hormones were involved in the retention of sodium, a mineral. The primary endogenous mineralocorticoid is aldosterone, although a number of other endogenous hormones (including progesterone and deoxycorticosterone) have mineralocorticoid function.

Aldosterone acts on the kidneys to provide active reabsorption of sodium and an associated passive reabsorption of water, as well as the active secretion of potassium in the principal cells of the cortical collecting tubule and active secretion of protons via proton ATPases in the lumenal membrane of the intercalated cells of the collecting tubule. This in turn results in an increase of blood pressure and blood volume.

Aldosterone is produced in the cortex of the adrenal gland and its secretion is mediated principally by angiotensin II but also by adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and local potassium levels.

But if in fact salt cravings are caused by impaired sodium retention, then increasing dietary salt intake seems like a symptom-oriented treatment of the problem. The underlying systemic problem remains unaddressed.

Of course. But who suggested that should be the only way you adress hypoadrenism...? Addressing your symptoms can often "get you through" until you can solve the underlying issue.

Take it for whatever you think it's worth.

From Ray Peat:

When mice are chilled, they spontaneously prefer slightly salty water, rather than fresh, and it increases their heat production (Dejima, et al., 1996). When rats are given 0.9 per cent sodium chloride solution with their regular food, their heat production increases, and their body fat, including abdominal fat, decreases (Bryant, et al., 1984). These responses to increased dietary sodium are immediate. Part of the effect of sodium involves regulatory processes in the brain, which are sensitive to the ratio between sodium and calcium. Decreasing sodium, or increasing calcium, causes the body’s metabolism to shift away from thermogenesis and accelerated respiration.

Could be an explanation as to why I have more frequent salt cravings during the winter months.

A craving for salty foods may be a symptom of adrenal exhaustion. If this is the case, it is recommended that eating food high in vitamin C is helpful (citrus, pepper and broccoli) and potassium (parsley, garlic, spinach and carrot).

I crave salt like mad lol

When I went totally fruitarian for a bit as a cleanse, I was feeling so junky, I could barely sleep and I kept dreaming about food!!

Eventually I worked out it was salt I was craving, so now I just have a plate of lightly boiled veggies covered in herbs and salt every day (I try not to overdo the salt) and I'm fine.

It's only because when you stop eating processed food you cut your salt intake down dramatically and the body freaks a bit!

Apparently according to the guys on 30bad, after a week or so those cravings start to diminish... but I am just happier when I know I'm getting adequate sodium, as I know that sodium deficiency is really not very pleasant/healthy!

Here's a good vid: