Craving Salt

[soyini]

I am on day 5 and I have the urge to put salt on everything! I don't know if it is because I can't have sugar or it is because I have not had any processed foods in the past 5 days.

 

Has anyone else had the same experience?

 

Thanks for your replies in advance!

[Tina R]

Did you used to eat out a lot or eat a lot of packaged foods before your Whole30? My guess is that you need more salt because you aren't eating those salty foods anymore so it may seem like you are eating more than normal. 

[CAK911]

I was about to say I'd just salt things, then. We use WAY more salt on Whole30 than off, and I think it's because the foods we're eating have basically no salt unless we add it.

[Vian]

By switching to a whole foods diet and cutting out processed foods, you automatically consume a lot less salt, even if you add it to everything you cook. processed foods contain tons of salt. I salt everything I make liberally with Himalayan pink salt. I keep it in a pepper grinder. Himalayan salt contains all 87 minerals needed by the human body and can actually improve conduction of electrical nerve impulses in the body.

 

Besides that, Carbohydrates make you retain water. When you drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake by not eating grains, you lose a lot of water weight. Your body may be craving salt to help hold onto more water until it adjusts to the new diet.

[soyini]

Thanks for all of the responses.

 

I thought my salt craving was unusual, but all of your responses make sense.

 

vlan -- I am going to look into getting some Himalayan pink salt, thanks for the tip!