From a very interesting interview with Anthony Bourdain:
AVC: Do you ever feel like your sense of taste or smell was diminished by your drug use?
Bourdain: Who knows? I think, technically, male palates start to decline very early anyway, around 27 or 28. That's what God made salt for.
On a related note, I used to work in restaurants, and was always fascinated by how my perception of saltiness would fluctuate over the course of a night. You get really sweaty working the line and, by the end of a hectic shift, nothing would taste salty enough for me. I'd sweated out so many electrolytes that my tongue was literally craving a salty refill. Yet another reminder that cravings are contextual.
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The Washington Monthly asks:
I've got a thing for things that are sweet and salty. Caramels with sea salt. French fries with plenty of ketchup. Peanut butter and strawberry jelly. Melon with prosciutto. Is there anything better to eat on a hot summer day than a ripe cantaloupe dressed with some cured meat, thinly sliced?
Craig McClain over at Deep Sea News has been spewing some vile libel about our magmatic companions:
I, as a rule, abhor salt in its granular form; even on french fries. I did not have salt in my home (I am 28) until this past Thanksgiving, when I wanted to bake something for a work party. I speculate my body has adapted in some way to have me enjoy certain salty foods. Over the past few years, I have upped my exercise length and intensity. While I have absolutely no desire for anything salty during the hours after my midday workout; I find myself sucking down olives and pickles when I get home. It still strikes me as a bit odd that my body can direct me to what it needs by having me crave foods I enjoy; but I don't mind.
I love the smell of salt - my dad works for a salt company and often came home smelling of it when I was a kid (or with salt crystals in his eyebrows, which I still think is funny). He puts salt on everything, probably because he's around it all day long. I think I have been averse to salt in the past, till I tried it on salad and just couldn't believe a salad could taste that good. So now I'm all for salt in moderation - but not necessarily in tv dinners...
When I used to work 24 hour ER shifts, I occasionally would eat a small bag of potato chips while walking home from work.
I believe I keep myself well-hydrated generally; when I fly I do not make an effort to drink more water (as going to the bathroom on an airplane is not recommended) but rather eat some salted snack to keep the water I have on board.