Why Do I Crave Salt & Crushed Ice?

Cravings occur when only one type of food will satisfy your urge, often completely independent of hunger. If you munch on chips all day, you may have more than a preference for salty foods. Likewise, if you have an uncontrollable urge to chew on crushed ice, you may not just be thirsty. In some instances, cravings for salt or crushed ice signal the presence of underlying serious health issues. Consult with your physician if you have any type of unexplained cravings.

Salt Cravings

Salt cravings may signal that you are dehydrated. However, crunching on chips or other salty snacks may also relieve stress in our jaw muscles, according to registered dietitian Samara Felesky-Hunt, writing for The Downtown Sports Clinics website. Salt cravings may also signal a deficit of calcium in your body, Felesky-Hunt writes. A rare but serious kidney disorder known as Bartter syndrome can also be the cause for salt cravings, according to endocrinologist Todd B. Nippoldt, writing for MayoClinic.com.

Women and Cravings

Women experience frequent changes in hormonal levels throughout their reproductive years. Salt cravings may stem from the body's attempt to re-establish proper salt concentration in the body and compensate for water weight gain that occurs during menstruation, Felesky-Hunt writes. Pregnant women may also experience salt cravings because of the water loss associated with morning sickness, according to certified nurse-midwife Michelle Collins, quoted by "Pregnancy Today." Many pregnant women also experience cravings for crushed ice during pregnancy, according to physician Donnica Moore, writing for her website.

Ice Cravings and Anemia

Chewing on crushed ice is a form of "pica," a medical term for craving and consuming substances with little or no nutritional value. A very common and very serious reason for craving crushed ice is iron-deficiency anemia. Chewing on crushed ice may relieve inflammation inside the mouth caused by iron deficiency. Crushed ice also often tastes better to people with iron deficiency, according to hematologist Ruben Mesa, writing for MayoClinic.com. Anemia is an especially common problem among women of childbearing age due to blood loss during their menstrual cycles.

Salt Cravings and Adrenal Insufficiency

If you begin craving salt or salty foods without having experienced such cravings before, you may be suffering from adrenal insufficiency, otherwise known as Addison's disease. Your adrenal glands, located above your kidneys, produce glucocorticoid hormones that control stress reactions, mineralocorticoid hormones that maintain proper potassium and sodium balance, and male and female sex hormones. Adrenal insufficiency may signal underlying medical problems such as cancer, tuberculosis or AIDS. Longtime steroid use may also trigger adrenal insufficiency, according to the Ohio State University Medical Center.