# I'm craving salt. What the hell? Possible TMI. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 16, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883 "2012-10-16T14:10:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/1 "2012-10-16T14:10:22Z")
So, I have weird food cravings sometimes. I get cravings for dark chocolate, for bitter greens (yeah, for real–I crave kale, wilted chard, or collard greens sometimes), and, around that special time of month, salty and sour things (pickle juice is usually my fix of choice, though salted grapefruit or other acidic fruit works OK. I’ve even eaten salted Sour Patch Kids in a pinch.) But yesterday and today, for whatever reason, I’m craving salt. I’ve actually just gotten done eating a bowl of salted ice cream, had lots of heavily salted veggies, and am about to eat a big bowl of very salted soup. I don’t want anything sour. I just want the salt. The thing is, I obviously have more than enough sodium in my bloodstream. I’m puffy from all the salt holding onto lots of extra water. I don’t need any more salt. And yet I’m craving it. What the hell, body? Knock it off! ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/2 "2012-10-16T16:23:07Z")
I get weird food cravings too- I’ve had friends and co-workers joke that I’m pregnant (I’m not and never have been). Supposedly food cravings can mean that your body has some sort of vitamin/mineral/whatever deficiency. I think it’s psychological, but who knows. I’ve never asked a medical professional about it. As long as you don’t have pica it’s probably fine. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/3 "2012-10-16T17:05:35Z")
I get strong protein cravings (meat, cheese, etc.) when stressed out or unwell. ---
**Author:** ![RoniaBorkason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RoniaBorkason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoniaBorkason)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/4 "2012-10-16T17:47:47Z")
Maybe try some different kinds of salt - potassium, magnesium, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/5 "2012-10-16T18:06:40Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > a bowl of salted ice cream Umm, what? I had no idea there was such a thing! ---
**Author:** ![randomface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@randomface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomface)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/6 "2012-10-16T18:22:29Z")
I would suggest getting some lite salt or NuSalt and using some of that. I find that sometimes I get a strong desire for any salt when really I just need more of a specific electrolyte, usually potassium chloride. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/7 "2012-10-16T18:37:29Z")
See if lemon juice on things cures the craving; I know it’s a good substitute for that sharp taste we sometimes desire. Also, though you are holding tons of water weight anyway, drink more water to keep up with the salt and flush it out. I’ve been craving salt since literally before I was born; my mom passed out so many times carrying me, the doc had her on 5 times the normal dose of extra salt tablets just to keep her upright. Been sucking on boullion cubes ever since, so I hear ya! ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/8 "2012-10-16T20:29:17Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > Umm, what? I had no idea there was such a thing! There’s an ice cream truck/shop in New York that sells an ice cream called The Salty Pimp! It’s salted caramel with chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/9 "2012-10-16T21:21:01Z")
You’re possible dehydrated. Drink water. [Check this](http://www.3fatchicks.com/what-causes-salt-cravings/). ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/10 "2012-10-16T22:27:22Z")
Yeah, my salt craving ended a few hours ago. Then I desperately wanted water and sour stuff. So I drank a liter and a half (no joke) of semi-flat club soda with lots of lime juice. And Aunt Flo has just arrived. Mystery solved, and cravings gone. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/11 "2012-10-16T22:29:39Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > Umm, what? I had no idea there was such a thing! Take ice cream, add salt. Pretty easy, actually, and oddly delicious. Think of the salted caramel flavors (I’ll have to try Salty Pimp–thanks Catherine Zeta!) , or any of the Ben and Jerry’s flavors with pretzels or potato chips. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/12 "2012-10-17T05:48:39Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > Yeah, my salt craving ended a few hours ago. Then I desperately wanted water and sour stuff. > > So I drank a liter and a half (no joke) of semi-flat club soda with lots of lime juice. > > And Aunt Flo has just arrived. Mystery solved, and cravings gone. Clearly, you wanted pickle brine. Sometimes, during the summer, it’s all I can do to leave the brine in the dill pickle jar. Man I love that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/13 "2012-10-17T07:07:23Z")
> [@CatherineZeta](#): > > There’s an ice cream truck/shop in New York that sells an ice cream called The Salty Pimp! It’s salted caramel with chocolate. I really must renew my passport… thank you! ---
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/14 "2012-10-17T23:57:50Z")
Anchovies on toast always works for me. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2012, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-craving-salt-what-the-hell-possible-tmi/637883/15 "2012-10-18T04:25:07Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > Take ice cream, add salt. Pretty easy, actually, and oddly delicious. > > Think of the salted caramel flavors (I’ll have to try Salty Pimp–thanks Catherine Zeta!) , or any of the Ben and Jerry’s flavors with pretzels or potato chips. Oddly enough, just a few days ago., a friend of mine introduced me to McDonald’s french fries with the soft serve vanilla ice cream they sell. Not bad at all.