Question about salt

[peakbagger]

It pretty simple, everyone is different, if its hot day or dry day in the winter and I go through a couple of quarts of water without taking a Nuun or two I will be getting leg cramps overnight.

[Venchka]

Ah yes. Everyone is different. That applies to just about every aspect of life. And the answer is generally “It depends.”
Personal investigation is the answer. Supplemented with a bit of ancient scientific research.
Such as: Dilute Gatorade. 1 qt. Gatorade + 1 qt. water. Or double the water if mixing dry Gatorade.
I wonder if the same might not apply to NUUN or other over the counter remedies?
Personal trial and error.
Wayne

[Crossup]

You have a way with understatements. It really comes down to most things relating to nutrition on an individual basis needs to be dealth with on a trial and error basis for your self

The contradiction in information here is mind boggling.
Take electrolyte supplements.
Avoid electrolyte supplements.
Food found along the trail is loaded with salt.
What’s a Body to do?
Nothing perhaps.
Who knows.
Wayne
Carry a can of Pringles?

[Crossup]

Dealth = dealt
And to continue, there is a wealth of information here but also a wealth of ignorance and one size fits all mentality.
Ones personal experience is just that and unless you're willing to label it as such you're likely doing more harm than good by expressing it given how people increasingly cant think for themselves.

You have a way with understatements. It really comes down to most things relating to nutrition on an individual basis needs to be dealth with on a trial and error basis for your self

[Crossup]

Oh, and I AM NOT talking about WAYNE, I'm referring to a broad swath of people posting here which to me is quite surprising given the average age involved.

[Venchka]

Thanks for the clarification. And I said essentially the same thing in my post before your posts began.
“One size fits all” seems to be the norm online. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Cheers!
Wayne

[fiddlehead]

Your body will tell you what you need. Pay attention to your cravings, its your body trying to tell you something.

^best advice on here^

My snacks consist of two categories: Salt and sugar.
I go to whichever one I crave at the time.

[jjozgrunt]

I've been through it all, had to take salt tablets daily in the military when in SE Asia, then no salt tablets are bad for you on the next deployment. Take electrolytes daily, no just after exercise no not at all there should be enough in your daily food. Don't cook with salt, yes do. Bugger what is a plain old bushwalker to do. There is salt hidden in many forms in just about all processed food and quite a lot in those commerical hiking meals. I let my body decide, if I start to cramp, it could be due to a salt deficiency doesn't hurt to have an electrolyte tablet in some water, otherwise I'll just salt my food for taste and I find that is enough. But by all means SYOH (Salt your own hike).

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Watch your clothes for salt stains. When your body pumps salt out, it's because it has to - to keep the amount of salt balanced with the limited amount of water that's left. When that happens, drink water AND consume salt to replace. I find a teaspoon of pink himalaya salt in every quart of gatorade fixes me up.

[rocketsocks]

Question about salt...

Yes salt is bad for you in large quantities but it can also cause a lot of problems if you don't have enough. Aren't we loosing a lot of it through sweat while we hike? I was under the impression that a higher than usual amount of salt in one's diet would be beneficial under exertion. Am I wrong in thinking that?

I'm not a thru hiker so I'm not on the trail for weeks on end, a week of salty foods won't kill me, especially since my usual day to day diet is very low in salt as I don't particularly like salty foods but am I wrong in thinking that I should supplement my hiking diet with salty foods?

unless you have a special dietary needs, I would think the resupplying on the trail that many talk about doing has plenty of salt in the form of processed products.

[atraildreamer]

I stand with t"Bronk" who says your body will tell you what you need.
Now that I'm hiking a lot here in Thailand in the tropics, I craze potato chips a lot more than before.
I imagine it's because I sweat so much more.
I'm heading to a dryer (and a bit cooler) climate next week to hike the Balkans so, will see if I crave them as much.
But I would listen to your body.
And I agree that salt is not so bad for you if you are not unhealthy.

Potatoes have more potassium than bananas. Think of a bag of salted chips as an electrolyte drink without water.

[Redbird2]

Think of a bag of salted chips as an electrolyte drink without water.

Love it! Health food

[Venchka]

Potatoes have more potassium than bananas. Think of a bag of salted chips as an electrolyte drink without water.

The internet says that a 7 ounce potato and skin has more potassium than a 4 ounce banana. Show me a Backpacker willing to carry a raw potato and the fuel to cook it.
Instant potatoes and beans, raisins and dates, the list goes on if you’re willing to search. Dried bananas of course for a change of taste.
Wayne

[nsherry61]

The internet says that a 7 ounce potato and skin has more potassium than a 4 ounce banana. . .

For what it's worth, I'll bet a 7 ounce banana without skin has more potassium than a 4 ounce banana as well.

The way I see it, potassium content is why you should always eat lots of french fries with ketchup as a nutrient boost when backpacking or cycling long distances. Ketchup has both sodium and potassium too.

[Venchka]

I did the arithmatic on that goofy internet comparison.
Banana - 105 calories per ounce.
Potato - 145, + or -, calories per ounce.
Wash the fries and ketchup down with a banana split!
Wayne

[nsherry61]

[Sarcasm the elf]

The way I see it, potassium content is why you should always eat lots of french fries with ketchup as a nutrient boost when backpacking or cycling long distances. Ketchup has both sodium and potassium too.

I like the way you think!

[bikebum1975]

I did the arithmatic on that goofy internet comparison.
Banana - 105 calories per ounce.
Potato - 145, + or -, calories per ounce.
Wash the fries and ketchup down with a banana split!
Wayne

Oh I dunno rather a cold beer then ketchup myself ��

[rocketsocks]

I forget under what admin. It was, but they made ketchup a food group instead of a condiment which then became a chargeable item in the school lunch checkout line.

[tiptoe]

Reagan. Ketchup became a vegetable.