Reason Behind Your Salt And Sugar Cravings

Dying to munch on some fries? Or maybe a donut? Theres more to these cravings than just hunger. Nutritionist Pooja Vig and dietitian Jaclyn Reutens tell us more.

- Adora Wong

When you crave salt…

It’s usually because your body is trying to manage stress. “Salt is thought to reduce the hormone cortisol, which is produced as a response to stress,” says Pooja from The Nutrition Clinic. “Raising your body’s sodium levels by just one to two percent is enough to suppress your stress hormones. Salt also increases the body’s oxytocin (also known as the feel-good hormone) levels.”

She says you’re also likely to crave salt when you’re mildly dehydrated – like when you sweat a lot but don’t replenish your water levels – but adds that there’s more to salt cravings than an appetite for all things high in sodium.

“Many salty foods such as chips are also high in carbs. So it isn’t just the salt that’s being craved, but the high salt-high carb combination,” she explains. Fries, pizza, fried chicken and burgers are packed with both types of compounds, so it’s no surprise that they’re popular comfort foods.

Why having too much salt is a bad thing

“Having too much salt in your diet increases blood pressure and water retention,” says Pooja. “Also, many convenience foods that are rich in salt are processed, high in trans fats and often also high in carbs.”

What you can do about it