I constantly crave salty food. Sense of smell and taste habits

The body has protective functions, which are realized through passions and desires. Gastronomic preferences can also reflect his condition. If there is a lack of fluid, its consumption in its pure form does not always give the desired effect. It is necessary for it to linger in the body, which is why you crave salty foods. But this is not the only reason; a craving for salt can signal diseases associated with metabolism and special conditions of the body.

Does craving for salty foods depend on gender?

Men have a faster metabolism. They tend to be more heavy sweating(by approximately 40%), which leads to the fact that fluid deficiency in the body is created much more often. We can say that a craving for salty foods is more common in a normal situation, but there are exceptions.

During periods of serious hormonal changes in a woman’s body, there is an increased need for trace elements and minerals. These include pregnancy, lactation, menopause, and even the second phase of the menstrual cycle.

Need for use more products with a high salt content is determined genetically, depends on age, presence excess weight and even taste preferences.

Common reasons

Salt affects many human life processes. Sodium and chlorine are involved in the functioning of the heart, cell membranes and food digestion processes. But excess salt retains fluid in the body and leads to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, doctors recommend limiting it, but not completely abandoning it.

The reasons for wanting to consume a lot of salt may relate to simple changes in the state of the body:

• hormonal changes;
• increased sweating;
• accelerated metabolism.

Some types of pathologies can lead to this:

• disruption thyroid gland;
• iodine deficiency in the body;
• infectious diseases, including the genitourinary system;
• alcoholism.

Any changes in the body can provoke a short-term craving for certain foods, but if this occurs constantly, you should consult a doctor to avoid the development of dangerous pathologies.

Depending on condition

It is necessary to evaluate cravings for salty foods taking into account certain circumstances and changes in the human body.

Pregnancy

During this period, there are two main reasons for changes in taste preferences: an increase in the volume of circulating blood and hormonal changes. In order to ensure normal blood supply to the fetus and placenta, the amount of fluid in the body increases, which leads to the need for normalization water-salt balance. Salt has the ability to retain water. Therefore, craving for salty foods in pregnant women is a natural mechanism to reduce the likelihood of dehydration.

But excess salt during this period can cause problems. Fluid is retained, which leads to swelling and increased pressure.

Before menstruation

One of the most common reasons. Menstrual cycle in women it is divided into two periods - before and after ovulation. In the first period, eggs mature in enlarging follicles. After ovulation, a corpus luteum- temporary gland that produces progesterone. This hormone is necessary to maintain pregnancy early stages, before the formation of the placenta. It is its influence that leads to changes in taste preferences. Active synthesis processes before menstruation require large quantity energy that the body tries to obtain from foods and minerals.

After sex or active sports

Active sexual intercourse is accompanied by the release of energy and increased sweating, which affects the deficiency of not only fluid, but also microelements. This can happen not only after sex, but also after a strong physical activity, and is the norm.

At increased sweating Moisture evaporates from the skin along with salts. They are necessary for the normal functioning of the body. If the load is too high and the supply is not replenished, severe thirst and a desire to eat salty foods may occur. Doctors often recommend long trips or under heavy loads, consume not just water, but drinks enriched with microelements and minerals.

For colds and infectious diseases

The mechanism for fighting infection is an increase in temperature, which often leads to fluid deficiency and blood thickening. The latter slows down the transport of formed elements taking part in the reaction immune system for illness.

It is very important that when you have a cold and, in general, when you are sick, you follow a drinking regime. It is also necessary for the blood circulation to be high, which also requires salt.

The desire to eat salty foods often accompanies infections urinary tract. This is due to doctors prescribing diuretics that help increase the rate of elimination of toxins from the body.

Hangover

Ethyl alcohol, when decomposed, leads to a deficiency of fluid and vitamins. Salt together with water normalizes this balance and helps improve a person's hangover.

Other situations

To speed up metabolic processes diseases such as hyperfunction of the thyroid gland or diabetes. This may be accompanied by a desire to eat salty foods, constant thirst, rapid weight loss and increased excitability.

Some people have a naturally fast metabolism, which can cause these symptoms. The main difference from diseases is that they first appear in adolescence or childhood and a person suffers from them constantly.

What do certain gastronomic preferences indicate?

A craving for certain salty foods may indicate not only a desire to eat salt, but also other characteristics of the body, depending on their composition.

Salted cucumbers

If a person wants pickles, then his food is too bland, and his diet contains a lot of neutral-tasting foods: potatoes, milk, boiled meat. This also indicates a deficiency of vitamin C or magnesium; the condition is possible after poisoning, due to weakened immunity, or in women during pregnancy. It is worth paying attention to nuts and legumes.

Often, cravings for salty and sour foods simultaneously arise when there are problems with gallbladder or liver, this requires contacting a specialist.

Tomatoes

Salted tomatoes are a source of tryptophan. From this acid, the body produces serotonin. The hormone has a beneficial effect on work gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system, normal indicators blood clotting.

It is involved in the functioning of the peripheral nervous system, helps with depression, mood swings and mental disorders.

Salty fish

The desire to eat a piece of salted fish or herring indicates a lack of potassium, iodine, sodium or chlorine. This happens due to long-term illness or malnutrition. Iodine deficiency can cause problems with brain activity and thyroid function. In this case, there is not only a craving for fish, but also for seaweed.

Salted peanuts

People who constantly crave salted peanuts lack vitamin B. Together with dehydration, this can signal, for example, alcohol abuse. Vitamin B deficiency is often observed in people who live in large cities or after a course of taking antibiotics.

Salo

An addiction to salty lard indicates a lack of fat in the body. People on a diet, with a deficiency of fat layer or its excess, with a lack of fat-soluble vitamins, experience an increased need for this product.

Video: why you want something salty – the doctors’ point of view

What happens if you constantly overeat salty foods?

Excessive salt intake causes increased blood pressure, development of diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. Swelling appears, there is a high risk of heart failure and the development of angina and heart attack. With a lack of calcium, osteoporosis and asthma can develop. Constant consumption of salt leads to a high risk of stomach cancer.

Of course, everyone has their own taste preferences. But sometimes taste quirks “attack”. You constantly want something sweet, something salty, something sour. What a whim. And this happens periodically. But you want something so badly that you don’t have the strength to fight. That's why you want salty food? Any dish seems under-salted, it tastes like a pickled cucumber or a herring. Why?

Why is table salt needed?

Why does a person need salt? After all, a newborn, for example, gets along just fine without it. Does your body need salt?

Needs. And how. A newborn simply needs the salt contained in mother’s milk. Salt, or sodium chloride, ensures the normal functioning of important systems in the body.

1. Sodium participates in acid-base metabolism (water-salt). With a sufficient amount of this element in the blood, red blood cells regularly deliver oxygen to tissues and organs.

2. Together with potassium, sodium helps glucose and amino acids pass through cell membranes. This means it affects good nutrition cells.

3. Sodium is important for normal nerve function. It helps nerve endings receive information from environment, transmit impulses along nerve and muscle fibers.

4. Sodium ensures complete absorption nutrients V small intestine and kidneys.

5. Chlorine is needed for secretion gastric juice, normal operation central nervous system, genital organs. It is a component of inert and muscle tissue, blood, intercellular fluid.

Salt is important for humans. A lack of it is dangerous (just like an excess). When there is not enough salt in the body, not the most pleasant processes occur:

• nerve impulses do not enter the cerebral cortex (people simply become stupid before our eyes);
• the effect of electrolytes weakens (a person cannot remember information, he has Bad mood, sometimes – inappropriate behavior);
• constantly want to sleep;
• weakness is felt in all muscles;
• coordination is impaired;
• water is lost, dehydration and blood thickening occur;
• the risk of cardiovascular problems increases.

Fortunately, the constant desire to eat something salty does not always indicate a pathological lack of sodium in the body.

When do you want something salty?

This desire may be pathological (due to diet, unreasonable diet or metabolic disorders). May be temporary. Due to pregnancy, for example. It can be a consequence of habit, profession or lifestyle. Let's talk about all the reasons in detail.

Signs of pathological lack of salt in the body:

a) dryness skin, untimely loss of their elasticity;
b) muscle weakness;
c) nausea;
d) lack of appetite;
e) malfunctions of the kidneys and nervous system;
e) tachycardia.

Most often, a person brings himself to this state. Strict diets, poor nutrition cause a lack of sodium in the body and metabolic disorders. Refusing table salt, many also refuse those products that contain this salt (fish, seafood, cheeses, garlic, onions, mineral waters, tomatoes, beans, etc.).

I also want salty foods because of problems in the body:

a) accelerated metabolism;
b) lack of certain minerals and trace elements (calcium, potassium, iodine);
V) malfunction thyroid gland (hence metabolic disorders);
d) infections of the genitourinary system.

The reason for the desire to eat something salty may be chronic stress. The life around us, people, work - everything became insipid. The food also seems bland. A person wants to “revive” it, make the taste more intense. That's why it constantly adds salt.

Often cravings for salty foods gestation period. This phenomenon is temporary and normal. It is explained by the following circumstances:

1) The amount of blood in a pregnant woman’s body almost doubles. Accordingly, the volume of water increases. And sodium is necessary for normal water metabolism.

2) A growing child also needs blood. Therefore, it also needs salt.

Of course, the craving for salty foods during pregnancy is completely justified. But there is danger in this desire. The woman eats and eats. Either cucumbers or herring. Eventually, it develops excess salt. Hence – swelling of the legs, fingers, bags under the eyes.

Cravings for salty foods develop due to increased sweating. Along with sweat, the body also loses salt. Excessive sweating occurs:

a) during holidays in hot countries with high humidity;
b) during physical activity;
c) while working in hot shops

The last two points are the nuances of lifestyle and work performed. To prevent the consequences of sodium deficiency, you need to replenish lost salt in a timely manner. With fruits and vegetables, mineral water. But not with pickled cucumber or over-salted porridge.

Sometimes you crave something salty out of habit. Our taste habits are formed over the years. For example, since childhood we have eaten very salty soups. This has become the norm for us. And in adult life we will sprinkle salt in the dishes. And we will cease to feel the salt initially contained in the products. So we bring ourselves to the hospital.

Very often the body needs salt, despite the fact that it seems to many to be “white poison”. Moreover, salt is required not only during pregnancy, as is commonly believed. And we will try to figure out why you want salty foods and find out the reasons for this process. It is worth noting that such a desire may not be true. Therefore, you should not immediately eat a lot of herring and cucumbers.

What is salt used for?

Salt contains sodium, potassium, calcium, and iodine. All these microelements are simply necessary for the body. In particular, this product required for:

• Normal water salt metabolism substances;
• Complete nutrition of cells;
• Nervous system stimulation;
• Improved intestinal and kidney function;
• Good bone structure.

Just don’t think that salt can be eaten like vitamins. It is needed only in microscopic quantities. But if you exceed the norm, you can always cause the “white poison” effect.

What makes you crave salty foods besides pregnancy?

There are just a few reasons why you might want a little salt. This:

1. Accelerated metabolism. For example, in adolescence;
2. Lack of calcium, iodine, potassium in the body;
3. Problems with the thyroid gland;
4. Disease of the kidneys or genital organs (inflammation in particular).

Often, you crave salty foods because you get used to food. Do you want to feel new taste. And you mercilessly salt the product. Some people eat salty foods when stressed. This habit is the opposite of eating sweets when there are moral problems.

The need for salt directly depends on the load on the body. If you play sports or move a lot, you will need more salt. This mineral is also needed to compensate for sweating. In hot weather, salt is also required.

Why do pregnant women crave salty foods?

There are many jokes and anecdotes about pregnant women eating a lot of salty foods. And they are all quite true. The fact is that water-salt metabolism in a pregnant woman’s body increases noticeably. And he cannot pass without sufficient quantity salt.

A child requires a lot of salt. After all, his body produces blood and forms bone. And this is not possible without sodium.

It is important to remember that you should not eat too much salt during pregnancy. Otherwise, you can get swelling of your arms and legs from an excess of such a product. And this is not very pleasant.

What are the consequences of a lack of salt?

There are many articles about what will happen if you eat salty foods all the time. But if you don’t eat salt at all, you can also get negative consequences.

In such a situation, water will quickly leave the body. And you will feel constant dry skin. Your muscles will also weaken due to lack of moisture.

Salt stimulates appetite. Without it, a person will not want to eat. There may even be malfunctions in the kidneys, nervous system and even the heart. All this is possible with excessive proper nutrition or diets.

Thus, the desire to eat something salty is quite natural factor. Don't torture yourself. Eat what you want. But do it in moderation. Any extremes here are dangerous.

A change in taste preferences usually indicates problems in the body or is associated with certain physiological processes. The desire to add salt to dishes arises from various reasons: deficiency of vitamins and minerals, dehydration, development of some disease. This phenomenon can be either temporary or permanent. Here are 7 main reasons why you crave salty food every now and then.

Can't imagine your life without salt? Perhaps you are missing certain substances

There are many reasons for increased cravings for salt:

1. Taste habit instilled in childhood.
2. Violation of water-salt balance due to systematic fluid deficiency or severe dehydration.
3. Accelerated metabolism, which is associated with increased appetite.
4. The development of some disease.
5. Intoxication of the body.
6. Sitting on a protein-free, salt-free diet for a long time.
7. Lack of a number of substances necessary for the body.
8. Menstruation, PMS.
9. Pregnancy.
10. Breast-feeding.

Lack of vitamins and minerals

Perhaps the body lacks certain substances:

• iodine;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• Omega-3;
• sodium chloride (salt itself).

a lack of fatty acids determined by craving for herring. Rich in Omega-3 also linseed oil And fish fat. If life suddenly becomes unpleasant without olives, it means there is a lack of sodium salts in the body. The functioning of the thyroid gland may be impaired.

It will help you cope with the problem healthy eating aimed at providing the body with all essential vitamins and microelements.

Physical illnesses

Feeling low on sodium may also signal health problems such as:

• hypertension;
• hyperfunction of the thyroid gland (disorder endocrine system accompanied by the production of large amounts of hormones);
• brain diseases;
• pathologies of the genitourinary and urinary systems (genital infections, cystitis);
• rhinitis (with loss of smell, food seems generally tasteless, and not just under-salted);
• eczema.

Men begin to grab the salt shaker more often when prostatitis develops. Women - with inflammation of the appendages, Bladder and other pelvic organs.

People experience a desire to enrich their diet with salts Russian tourists during your stay in tropical countries. A change in taste sometimes indicates the onset of an illness.

It happens that vitamin deficiency is to blame, especially if you go on vacation when there is still snow in your homeland.

Psychological problems

A huge craving for salty foods during depression and chronic stress is explained by the fact that strong taste sensations distract from dark thoughts. Food doesn't taste good unless you add salt or sugar. The point is that when emotional distress the body increases its consumption of nutrients.

Similar symptoms are observed during attacks of irritability, aggression, when a person is nervous and complex. However, chewing on problems with snacks will only aggravate the situation: such food will harm your health and prevent you from coping with stress and other unpleasant psycho-emotional states.

In the evening salty food You might want it after a hard, stressful day. The cause may also be insomnia or chronic lack of sleep.

Salt addiction

Systematic abuse of salt can cause addiction, comparable to addiction to smoking or alcohol. If you constantly sit on crackers, dried fish, chips or sauerkraut, it’s easy to become a “salt addict.”

The food will seem bland to such a person, even if for the rest of the tasters everything will be normal. To cope with addiction, you first need to recognize it and stop adding salt to the soup before you try it. Daily norm salt consumption will have to be reduced to 1 tsp. It is recommended to replace sausages, canned food, store-bought sauces and marinades with fruits, vegetables, dairy products (especially goat milk), fresh fish.

Dehydration

This problem occurs when profuse sweating and, consequently, a large loss of water by the body. Salt retains liquid, and when there is a lack of water in the cells, you want not only to drink, but also to eat something salty. This happens during:

• hot summer;
• jogging or sex;
• intense training, energetic dancing;
• colds with high fever;
• work in a hot shop;
• drinking alcohol, with a hangover.

A clear sign of a water-salt imbalance is skin tightening after water procedures in the bathroom. It is best to restore it with the help of fruits, vegetables, and mineral water without gas.

Pregnancy and lactation

Few people do not know about the whims of pregnant women when it comes to food. Once in a position, women lean on spicy and salty foods. Doctors name several reasons for the addiction of expectant mothers to such dishes:

1. Due to the restructuring of the body, changes hormonal levels familiar food seems too bland.
2. A lot of fluid is lost due to attacks of toxicosis and frequent urination.
3. Although the concentration of aldosterone (a hormone involved in water-salt metabolism) increases 8 times, progesterone blocks its activity. As a result, the body loses fluid and sodium.
4. The need for salt and water increases even more as the child develops, because impaired water metabolism and mineral deficiency can lead to fetal hypoxia.

During breastfeeding may crave salty foods again due to hormonal imbalance. However, you should not eat a lot of salt during lactation. Pickles, tomatoes, mushrooms, smoked meats, bouillon cubes and seasonings are prohibited.

Menstruation, PMS

Cravings for salty foods before and during menstruation are explained physiological characteristics. Perhaps the reason is a weakened immune defense. Taste sensations are lost, so food seems bland. This is how the brain reports a lack of useful substances for possible fertilization. In addition, with a deficiency of sodium, potassium and chlorine, disturbances in water-salt metabolism occur.

When you really want something salty, you should follow your body’s lead. But only if not medical contraindications, as, for example, with hypertension. Doctors strongly recommend finding out the cause of the changes taste preferences, because this may be evidence of the development of a serious illness.

If from time to time a person is overcome by taste preferences that were previously unusual for him, then the body sends signals about the insufficient supply of some vital element.

Let's consider the question: why do you want salty things, the reasons that motivate you to buy lightly salted fish, cucumber, tomato, or simply the desire to add salt to the dish.

The increase in the need for salt is due to many factors: insufficient intake of vitamins, minerals, habits from childhood, physiological deviations and the development of any disease. Every case of desire high content salt has a logical explanation. Which?

Increased consumption is primarily facilitated by the taste habit acquired in childhood from parents, however, no matter how tasteless the products may seem, try to get rid of the addiction. Do not add salt to dishes in the pan, add a little salt on the table.

When under stress, an irresistible craving for salty foods occurs, since sharp taste sensations distract from the negative, but it is important to remember that a purely psychological phenomenon will cause physical harm if you chew on troubles with salted products, nervous system gets even more stressed.

Why do you want salted fish?

Hormonal changes

Why do pregnant women crave salty foods?

Changes in hormonal levels entail a change in taste preferences. Ordinary food seems bland, which is why expectant mothers are so fond of spicy vegetables, spicy sprat and herring. In addition, some women are plagued by manifestations of toxicosis: vomiting, loose stool, and also at the end of pregnancy worries frequent urination, which increases fluid loss. This is why you crave salty foods during pregnancy - to avoid water-salt imbalance.

Fetal development increases the need for potassium, sodium and chlorine, and the volume of water, as the amount of blood, intercellular fluid and lack of minerals increases and impaired water metabolism leads to fetal hypoxia. But excessive consumption of salt from a pack is very harmful: it causes swelling of the tissues, so it is better to increase the intake of sodium chlorine from fresh vegetables and fruits.

Why do you crave salty foods before your period?

The desire to eat, a tomato, a piece of salmon is caused by hormonal changes, as well as insufficient water-salt metabolism. If the body suffers from a deficiency of any minerals during the period of ovulation: potassium, chlorine, sodium, or there are signs of dehydration on the face, then the woman definitely wants salty foods. Thus, the brain signals about insufficient accumulation of vital elements for the period of fertilization.

Sometimes the reason why you want pickles and herring is the body’s cry about a decrease in immunity. The food seems too bland due to the loss taste sensations. The need for salt indicates the body’s desire to accumulate missing components, and, at the same time, provide it with the necessary vital energy.

What's missing if you want something salty?

A deficiency of sodium, potassium, chlorine, magnesium, vitamins and fluid has developed. Do not limit yourself in satisfying your desires, but the portion of pickles should be minimal. Overeating causes edema and leads to many metabolic diseases.