JAKARTA - After exercising, many people will feel hungry. It is not uncommon for them to also feel like eating certain foods, especially salty foods.
The desire to consume salty food after exercising is common. This is caused by the loss of sodium through sweat during physical activity.
When exercising, especially at high intensity or long duration, the body will release sweat containing sodium (salt).
"If you have been exercising hard and sweating excessively, the increased amount of sweat can result in the loss of sodium from the body," said registered dietitian, Elysia Cartlidge, quoted from Real Simple, Monday, May 4, 2026.
When sodium levels drop, the body responds by triggering a desire to eat salty foods to restore the balance of electrolytes, which had previously come out of the sweat.
"This causes the body to want more salt to replace the lost sodium," he added.
However, this does not mean that you have to reduce exercise. Intense exercise can still be done, but if the desire to eat sweet foods arises, then it must be controlled well.
This must be done because excessive consumption of salty foods after exercise is still at risk of causing high blood pressure, or interfering with kidney function if not limited.
Therefore, choose your sodium sources more carefully and remember to stay hydrated. Good body hydration is done not only after exercising, but throughout the day.
It is also recommended to consume isotonic drinks to replace electrolytes lost after exercise. In addition, choose healthy snacks such as nuts or fruits.
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