Something reminded me of this...



Months ago while traveling I met another American girl who said she was an on and off vegan. I mentioned how I really like to add a lot of salt to my food. She said that whenever she was eating a vegan diet, she really craved salt.



I found this odd. I mean, it looked like she was vegetarian and ate dairy and maybe eggs when not vegan, and I don't know why that would cause one to eat more salt. The only non-vegan thing I saw her eat was some cheese melted on bread.



Does anyone here find that they like lots of salt as a vegan versus when eating a different diet? My diet hasn't changed in a very long time, so I don't know if I can trust my memory.

I do the same thing! Being vegan, I'm a total salt addict! Which I wasn't when I was omni.

Maybe because processed meats are high in salt? Just a guess.

My parents are healthfreaks so it was extremely rare to eat processed meats. Never ate bacon, ham, deli, bologna, etc.

This was my thought. It makes sense. Even if it doesn't explain why the vegetarian I met said she craved salt more as a vegan.

I was reading something about the dynamics of taste the other day and had wondered if trying to balance them (astringent, bitter, pungent, salty, sour, sweet) or having an inbalance might create a craving of sorts.

: shrug : I like salt, vegan or not. Pretty sure if I went and had a cheeseburger I'd still salt my broccoli later

I do crave salt more now as a vegan, but don't plan on switching back to find out if it is directly affected by the vegan diet. =] I didn't used to crave salt though, I was much more of a sugar person.

me too! I used to be much more of a sweets person, now I tend to prefer salty things. I've never really thought about it as being a result of my veganism though...



I also feel like I constantly struggle to balance out the tastes in my mouth. I can't eat chocolate and be done, it's too sweet, so I have to balance it out with something salty, which makes me want to balance it out again with something sweet. My roommate thinks I'm so weird because I make such a big deal about it.

I find this to be the case in my own experience. When I was a kid I always needed to "wash" my mouth out with french fries after eating donuts, especially chocolate covered ones.



Now, I eat a pretty clean diet most of the time, with no processed foods and no added salt, but when I cheat and eat something too sweet, I have to have something salty. It doesn't linger though, and most of the time food tastes good to me without it.

I thought everybody did this- vegan or not! That's why we drink sugary drinks while we eat salty, greasy foods! Mmm...

Interesting observation! I always was a salt addict, but since I started eating vegan I do crave salty things even more - and sweet things far less than before.

cheese is high in salt so that could make a difference.

Me too! When I was omni I ate a lot of sweet foods, but now I'm more a salty than sweet person.

I an't say I've ever tried to balance what I eat.

Maybe we crave more salt because we eat LESS processed foods as vegans? I certainly know that's the case for me. So even though it looks like I "add" more salt, a lot of my foods are cooked from scratch whole foods which don't come already packed with salt. So I think I actually end up eating less salt overall.

I didn't notice more salt cravings in particular when I changed. I'm more of a fat/sweet person.



Flesh foods + dairy in general have way more salt than plant stuff. It may be a matter of a palate that is accustomed to tons of salt and/or the body realizing it needs more salt.

i was always a sugar fiend and never liked snacks like potato chips in my life until i went vegan. now id much rather eat chips than candy

I read somewhere that we crave what it is our bodies are getting rid of. So by that theory, perhaps by being vegan and eating a cleaner diet than we did before, our bodies may be going through a mild cleansing of salt, resulting in the craving for it.



However this also suggested that this is where many of us go wrong - in thinking that a craving means we need to eat that food. If we move through the craving then supposedly it goes away.



My body must be cleansing itself of chocolate ALL the time!

I was doing my own thing quietly and YOU are the one who created this post trying to make a big deal out of it. Keep flaming the fire. That must be what you want.

This is really interesting! Since my diet has been vegan, now that I think about it I do crave salt more often!! At work we have lots of snacks available, and everyone chips in whenever they want something. There aren't many vegan items, but the 2 that I enjoy most often are plain chips and 70% cocoa chocolate. And I do go for the chips more often! I'll probably have 1-2 mini bags per week, as I often get salt cravings in the PM, but I figure it's ok since I don't eat any other processed foods at home aside from the occasional Oreo.



I just had some salty olives... mmm!

Salt was all I craved when I went vegetarian, but after making the transition to a vegan diet my 'salt tooth' went outta control.



I also think it has something to do with the fact that the fact that I have to eat out a lot, and people apparently think that veggies don't need to be seasoned. Well duh, they're like everything else. Salt and seasoning required!

Not really...there are some nice subtle flavors that you miss if you season/salt everything.

I used to eat far worse and salt things far more eating the other way. Breakfast was always eggs fried in butter, and salted, buttery toast, now its a bananna, and apple, and maybe a small bowl of unflavored oatmeal. I always salted my food. Dishes I prepared would always be salted. I've never been a sweets guy and am far less of one now, and I still crave salty foods but not so much as they were before.



However, whenever I make a special trip to whole foods for cheese its totally over. I'll devour a whole block of follow your heart cheddar in one night. I just cant resist its salty goodness. I'll be like a cokehead who can't stop licking the plate, back and forth, back and forth to the fridge, taking little bits here and there, trying to conserve it, being desperately sad when its gone and that I'd eaten the whole thing and didn't save any to make mac and cheese....its terrible. There's a block in the fridge now and I'm salivating thinking about it. Im going to get some. Follow Your Heart cheese ruined my life I wish I had never discovered it and its salty wonderfulness.

Salt brings out all those 'subtle' flavors! That's the neat thing about it.



That's why in most sweet treats there's just a pinch of salt. To enhance the sweetness.

double post

You find FYH cheese to be salty? I salt mine.



I like Parmagiano Reggiano salty.

I have salt cravings a lot and I have done ever since I turned vegetarian. I do use a lot of salt but I don't think it has negative effects on me, I have low blood pressure still.

I think it depends on your palate. I'm what they call a super taster, so I would tend to agree with SunVamp. The rest of my family are on your side broccolichick!