While snacks are a favorite food for many, they often get a bad reputation for being unhealthy. However, snacks can be part of a balanced diet. Frequently craving snacks, however, could be a sign that your body is under stress or needs a different kind of support. Find out what craving a salty snack might mean, why you may crave it, and some healthy salty snack choices to benefit your overall health.
As its name suggests, a salty snack is salty. This taste can be natural or come through the addition of salt, also known as sodium chloride.
There are a variety of different salty snacks, with some of the most common being:
There can be many reasons for this craving. Some of these reasons include:
Chronic stress is one factor that may be contributing to this craving. The NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response System is a six-circuit system of related organs that helps your body handle stress. During short-term stress, your adrenal glands release hormones to help your body respond to this stress. Two of the main hormones are cortisol and aldosterone.
If this stress persists, your adrenal glands will continue to produce these hormones, which can deplete them over time. When this happens, Adrenal Fatigue occurs. Adrenal Fatigue is a condition in which the body cannot keep up with long-term stress, resulting in various symptoms, including stubborn weight gain, cravings for sweet or salty foods, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping.
Cortisol plays a role in maintaining sodium balance in your body, while aldosterone regulates blood pressure. In Adrenal Fatigue, both of these hormones can become low. This results in low sodium levels and fluctuations in blood pressure, which can cause cravings for salty snacks. Additionally, if blood pressure is low, you may benefit from a salty snack, which can help increase it to optimal levels.
Other symptoms that may occur include:
Individuals with Adrenal Fatigue may find relief from a salty snack. However, the root cause of adrenal fatigue should be addressed so that the symptoms can improve.
Sodium is an essential nutrient and the mineral found in salt. It plays multiple important roles in your body, such as:
However, when consumed in large amounts, it can negatively affect your health. Effects of too much sodium in the diet include:
The one concern with salty snacks is that they can be high in sodium and may contribute to these negative effects if consumed in large portions. To help prevent this, you should try to stay within sodium intake recommendations. These recommendations differ depending on the organization and country, but a 2021 study found that optimal sodium intake should be 3-5g per day. For individuals with high blood pressure, this intake should be below 4g per day (1).
Some individuals, such as those with chronic high blood pressure, may need to be mindful of their sodium intake when they crave a salty snack.
However, individuals with Adrenal Fatigue often have problematically low sodium levels and may benefit from a salty snack.
Let's look at some of the different types of salty snacks and their pros and cons.
These can be handy to eat when busy and on the go. Nuts and seeds can be bought salted or unsalted. While the salted kind will satisfy a salt craving, it is important to be mindful of portion size, as high salt can cause health concerns. Many of these foods are also quite high in fat and calories. Try the unsalted nuts and seeds first, as you may find a natural salt in these snacks.
If you aren't keen on nuts but enjoy the taste, salted nut butter can also help ease the craving. There are many different nut butter, including peanut, macadamia, sunflower seed, and almond butter. If you use salted nut butter, you can either have it on a cracker or dip vegetables and fruit in it.
Olives are another naturally salty snack that can help with a salt craving. Both nuts, seeds, and olives are rich in unsaturated fat and will help keep you full. Additionally, the unsaturated fats within these foods can provide great health benefits, such as helping to improve cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation, and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Since they are high in unsaturated fats, they are also high in energy, which makes portion size important. An easy way to be mindful of your portion size is to ensure that your nuts, seeds, and olives fit inside the palm of your hand.
Popcorn is not only reserved for movies. It is also a popular choice as a salty snack. Popcorn is high in fiber and can help keep you full. This may help satisfy your salty craving. To keep popcorn healthy, try to make it yourself. This will ensure that you can control the ingredients added and the amount of salt. Additionally, adding herbs such as rosemary and thyme can help to enhance the flavor profile without additional sodium.
Crackers are one of the most classic types of salty snacks. These can be plain or salted. If you want a cracker, try to choose one with whole grains. Many crackers contain trans fats, which can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes. It's important to minimize the amount of trans fat in your diet. Also, choosing a herbed cracker may help satisfy the craving for a salty snack and contain less sodium.
Like crackers, pretzels are another classic salty snack. Generally, pretzels are lightly salted and, if eaten in moderation, can be part of a healthy diet.
An interesting study published in 2024 examined pretzel intake and sodium content. It found that when given smaller pretzels, individuals ate less. However, the sodium intake was high. This could be because the smaller size has more surface area for salt.
You can use these results to your advantage. Smaller pretzels may be more beneficial if you want to control your intake to support a healthy weight. However, larger pretzels may be more beneficial if you are concerned about your salt intake or have high blood pressure (2).
This is one of the high-protein salty snacks. Sardines have a naturally salty taste due to the seawater in which they live. Sardines are rich in omega-three fatty acids and can help to reduce blood pressure and inflammation. Additionally, sardines can be a source of vitamin D, B12, iron, and calcium, especially if you eat sardines that include soft bones.
If you are considering using sardines as a salty snack, choose the sardines that are canned in water, or if there is brine, drain the brine. The brine is high in sodium and may contribute to high sodium levels. Sardines can be paired with a whole-grain cracker as a salty snack or eaten by themselves.
If you want a high-protein salty snack, but sardines aren't exactly what you had in mind, edamame beans may be an alternative. These are high in protein and can help to keep you full until your next meal. They are additionally high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals and can be eaten boiled or steamed. Once cooked, sprinkle them with salt or dip in soy sauce. If you are concerned about sodium intake, choose the low-sodium soy sauce. Even low-sodium soy sauce is still relatively high in sodium, so enjoy it in moderation.
If you are craving chips, vegetable chips can be a great alternative to traditional chips by simultaneously providing nutrition and quenching your salt craving. The chips use a combination of vegetables such as kale, beetroot, and sweet potato. These chips are becoming more popular in stores. However, you can also make and store them for later use. This will help control the amount of salt you add, and you can add other herbs to enhance the flavor profile.
To make them, choose your vegetables and cut them thinly. A mandolin can help here. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper, add olive oil, sprinkle salt and other herbs of your choice, and bake for 15-20 minutes until brown. After the 15-minute mark, check the oven regularly, as they can burn quickly.
Salty and sweet snacks have ingredients that can cause health concerns if eaten in large quantities.
Sweet snacks can be high in sugar, and when consumed in large portions, they can contribute to weight gain, high sugar levels, and heart problems.
Salty snacks consumed in large portions can lead to high sodium levels, increase fluid retention and blood pressure, and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. However, a salty snack can be beneficial for individuals with low sodium levels or low blood pressure.
Both of these snacks can have health concerns. However, their health benefits often have more to do with their ingredients, portion size, and how they fit into a balanced diet. Having them in moderation can be part of a healthy diet.
Salt, like sugar, can be addictive to your brain. When you consume a salty snack, the salt in it can activate the reward center of your brain (3). This results in the release of feel-good brain hormones. If you continue consuming foods high in salt, your body will become dependent on this release of brain hormones. This can result in you feeling addicted to salt. Additionally, many food products have hidden salt within them, and unknowingly, your body can become dependent on this salt.
If you are concerned that you may be addicted to salt, first explore whether it could be due to another reason, such as dehydration, chronic stress, or medications. Seeing a healthcare provider can help you to explore the underlying cause. If you are dealing with a dependency on salt, there are some strategies you can use that help activate the brain's reward center and contribute to you feeling better. These include:
Many reasons may drive a craving for a salty snack, including chronic stress. Fortunately, a range of nutritious salty snacks can be used when cravings arise.
If you are experiencing a sudden craving for a salty snack, exploring the reason behind the craving is important, as it may help to address the root cause. If you have been experiencing a craving for a salty snack and are concerned that your stress levels could cause it, our team can assist. You can call us directly or click here for a free initial call. If you are struggling with understanding what to snack or eat when you have adrenal fatigue, check out Dr. Lam's Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Program, which provides a 30-day meal plan, snacks, and recipes to make life easier for those with adrenal fatigue.
Mente, Andrew, et al. "Sodium Intake and Health: What Should We Recommend Based on the Current Evidence?" Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 9, Sept. 2021, p. 3232. MDPI, https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/9/3232.
Harper, Madeline M., et al. "Unit Size Influences Ad Libitum Intake in a Snacking Context via Eating Rate." Appetite, vol. 197, June 2024, p. 107300. ScienceDirect, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666324001016?via%3Dihub.
Soto-Escageda, José Alberto, et al. "Does Salt Addiction Exist?" Salud Mental, vol. 39, no. 3, June 2016, pp. 175–181. Salud Mental, https://revistasaludmental.ddns.net/index.php/salud_mental/article/view/SM.0185-3325.2016.016.
Having a salty snack every day can be part of a healthy diet, provided that you are focusing on snacks that are nutritious and are mindful of portion size. However, if you do experience a condition such as high blood pressure, always check with your healthcare provider first.
