Salt Cravings
Do you have salt cravings like chips? An Example would be if: You are trying to lose weight, and you have tried many of the fad diets. You are once again of the mindset that you are going to suffer through, and deprive yourself of what you truly love to eat in the gallant battle of weight loss. You stop at a store, and there they sit, the enticing bag of potato chips. You are waiting in line, and you hear the chips calling your name, and you are so tempted to grab the bag, return to your car and scoff down the bag. You will dispose of the evidence of the empty bag and nobody will be the wiser. The scene flashes through your mind as you explore the options that are unfolding around you.
Does this craving for a salty food that has some crunch sound all too familiar? Are fast food fries your downfall? If cravings stress you out, and hamper your ability to diet, and lose weight you should start to think about why you are craving it?
Anatomy of Salt Cravings
One possibility for the craving of salt could be a disease known as Addison’s disease. Also there are some other diseases that are not all common, but may be worth doing a bit of personal research. For the most part, salt cravings tend to be induced by a poor diet. If you find yourself craving salt, then chances are you need to make a lifestyle change. Many people sit down to eat a meal, and before they even taste the food they grab the salt shaker, and sprinkle it from one end of the plate to the other. Why? Why does a person pour salt over a food selection without even sampling the flavor? Why does a person adjust the flavor of a meal without a sample taste first? The answer is simple….it has become a habit. This habit is as real as smoking cigarettes, and the consequences can be as deadly because the heart attack will be the same. The difference with salt is that you need it to live, and without salt you would die. People have been conditioned into thinking that adding salt to food is basically second nature.
How Much Salt Is Good?
The U.S. federal government guidelines suggest that you consume no more than 2,300 Milligrams of sodium daily. Let us journey into a restaurant we all know and many love and order a ¼ pounder burger with a large fry and a large Coke. If you order that meal you get about 1,540 milligrams of sodium. It is hard to believe there is even salt in a Coke! Right there in one meal you have almost the entire amount of sodium you need for an entire day. It is a proven fact that many people in the world over compensate for the need of salt. All too often more is good, and a lot more is even better. It is hard to imagine that some people even add more salt from those little white paper salt dispensers while sitting under the golden arches.
Cure For the Common Salt?
It is also know that having too much salt can lead to heart disease, and an entire laundry list of ailments that could even make an obese person take notice. The cure for salt cravings is to not only put the salt shaker down, but to throw it away. You need to learn how to season food without adding salt. It is quite easy to cruise the supermarket, and seek out seasonings for your food other that salt. You must take the precaution of not purchasing a seasoning with the first two ingredients being salt. This is nothing more than salt in a disguise. At first you will think that food has lost all of its flavor, but those sensations will pass. Over time food will actually begin to burst with flavor as you learn to enjoy items for their real flavor and not just the flavor of salt. At first you will think your salt free diet is bland, but even without adding salt to anything you will be still taking in more salt than you need.
A Lifestyle Change Is Again the Answer
Over a short period of time you will begin to start noticing just how much of the processed foods at the market has salt added to it. As you educate yourself hopefully you will realize that in order for you to end your salt cravings, your lifestyle will need to be re-evaluated. You will learn to season foods in with herbs, and spices that will make your food burst with flavor. You will start to love your meals, without the added salt, and begin to appreciate the real flavor of food the way God intended it to taste.