Many people like salty food because it can activate taste buds. However, if you find yourself love to eat salt more than usual, pay enough attention to it...
According to the recommendations of the American Heart Association, adults recommend no more than 2,300 mg of salt per day, preferably less than 1,500 mg. However, most ordinary people consume more than 50% of the recommended daily salt intake, which is accompanied by a series of health risks. The United States has recently summarized some common reasons for craving salty food and ways to curb it.
1. Too much exercise
When we sweat, the body has exhausted sodium, which makes us need to eat more sodium to restore the normal sodium content in the serum. Excessive exercise, long distance running, or any strenuous exercise can cause salt cravings due to electrolyte imbalances (i.e., the imbalance between potassium and sodium).
In some cases, drinking sports drinks can supplement electrolytes. You can also make electrolyte drinks by mixing lemon (or lime) juice, ginger, a pinch of sea salt and a spoonful of liquid sweeteners, such as honey or agave.
2. Dehydration
Dehydration can also be expressed as a thirst for salt. This happens when the body does not have enough fluid to work properly. Dehydration is the body's way of telling you to eat more salty food.
This can also happen if a woman is pregnant. Because of vomiting or nausea caused by pregnancy, it causes dehydration and makes them like salty food.
3.Premenstrual syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome can lead to women's craving for food, including salty food. This is because women's appetite during menstruation is not good, eating salty food can be appetizing. Although eating pretzels or potato chips may comfort them, it may also lead to other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Studies have shown that eating too much salt can cause abdominal swelling and edema.
4. Too much pressure
A hard day's work may prompt you to reach for a bag of chips. The desire for salt may be the result of boredom or stress, which leads people to unconsciously eat more salt than they actually need.
5. Insufficient sleep
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that sleep deprivation makes it easier to give in to cravings for junk food. Therefore, inadequate sleep on the working day can explain why you can't resist the desire to eat potato chips the next afternoon.
6. Salt makes people feel better
Salt can ignite pleasure centers in the brain, releasing a hormone called dopamine, which makes people feel happy. Eating salty food can also mimic the effects of addictive drugs.
7. From the very beginning, mankind longed for salty taste
Humans are naturally motivated to search for salt, because it is essential for survival, and sodium chloride is a rare mineral in history. Nowadays, salt is easy to produce, no longer a scarce commodity, but easy to overeat.
8. Taste buds are now used to eating more salt
As time goes on, people can build up tolerance for salty foods, which means that if we are used to eating salty foods, we need to eat more salt than before in order to taste extra delicacies.
9. Potential health problems
Although rare, some medical diseases can cause people to want salty food. Edison's disease (primary adrenal insufficiency) is an uncommon disease that occurs when the body does not produce enough adrenaline. Other symptoms of the disease include extreme fatigue, muscle or joint pain, hair loss, hypoglycemia, pigmentation and abdominal pain.
Bart's syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that impairs the kidney's ability to recover salt, resulting in a craving for salty food.
How to resist the desire for salty food?
Excessive salt intake is associated with diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension and heart disease. Herbs and spices can be used instead of salt.
It's just a habit to eat too much salt. In many cases, the desire for salt comes from the basis of behavior, and the desire for salt comes only from habits or environmental conditions. If you crave salty foods, you can first choose natural foods with high sodium content, such as celery, green leafy vegetables, carrots or seaweed.
