Why does salt help when you feel nauseous?

November 30, 2025 •

3 min read

Electrolytes like sodium are essential for fluid balance and nerve function, and they can be helpful when you feel nauseous by replenishing these minerals. Vomiting and diarrhea can rapidly deplete sodium, contributing to dehydration and worsening nausea.

Quick Summary

Salt can alleviate nausea symptoms by helping to restore electrolyte balance and support hydration. The bland nature of salty snacks can further settle an upset stomach, providing some relief from nausea.

Key Points

Electrolyte Replenishment: Salt helps restore the balance of electrolytes (like sodium) lost during vomiting or diarrhea.
Enhanced Hydration: The body uses sodium to absorb and retain water more effectively, making salt crucial for rehydration.
Stomach Acid Absorption: Bland, salty snacks like crackers can absorb excess stomach acid, which can soothe an irritated stomach.
Danger of Excess Salt: Drinking highly concentrated salt water is harmful and can worsen dehydration and create dangerous electrolyte imbalances.
Oral Rehydration Solutions: Scientifically proven oral rehydration solutions containing balanced salt and sugar are the most effective way to correct dehydration and associated nausea.
Bland Foods are Gentle: Avoiding rich, fatty, or strongly-flavored foods prevents further irritation to a sensitive stomach, while bland options are easier to digest.

The Role of Electrolytes, Hydration, and Nausea

When nausea occurs, a fluid imbalance is often involved, especially if vomiting or diarrhea has happened. Salt is important in this situation. Salt, or sodium chloride, contains sodium, a key electrolyte for regulating fluid balance in the body.

How Electrolytes Impact the Body

Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge and are crucial for many bodily functions. They are involved in nerve signaling and muscle contractions, and they maintain proper hydration. When electrolyte levels drop too low, which is called hyponatremia, the resulting imbalance can cause headaches, confusion, muscle cramps, and nausea and vomiting.

Sodium's Importance in Hydration

Salt is important for rehydration because water follows sodium. When sodium is consumed, it helps the body absorb and retain water. This is why oral rehydration solutions (ORS) include a balanced mixture of sugar and salt. The sugar aids in sodium absorption, which pulls water into the cells and bloodstream, rehydrating the body more efficiently than water alone.

Soothing an Upset Stomach with Bland, Salty Foods

Eating bland, salty foods like saltine crackers can be a remedy for nausea. This works for several reasons:

Absorbs Excess Stomach Acid: Dry crackers can help absorb excess stomach acid.
Easy to Digest: Bland foods are gentle on the digestive system.
Replenishes Sodium: The salt on crackers provides sodium to start restoring electrolyte levels.
Odorless and Flavorless: Foods without strong smells or flavors are less likely to trigger or worsen nausea.

Recognizing the Difference Between Beneficial Salt and Dangerous Amounts

It's critical to distinguish between the controlled amounts of salt in snacks or oral rehydration solutions and excessive salt water intake, which can be harmful. Drinking concentrated salt water can have the opposite effect, causing hypernatremia (excess sodium) which can pull water out of cells and lead to dehydration, vomiting, and other health problems.

Comparison of Anti-Nausea Strategies


Strategy	Mechanism	Pros	Cons
Salty Snacks (e.g., crackers)	Absorbs stomach acid; provides minimal sodium.	Gentle on stomach, easy to find, can settle an empty stomach.	Limited electrolyte replacement, may not be enough for severe cases.
Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS)	Balanced mixture of sodium, glucose, and water; corrects electrolyte imbalance.	Highly effective for moderate to severe dehydration; scientifically proven.	Requires mixing; taste may be unpleasant for some.
Ginger	Increases gastric motility, blocks serotonin receptors in the gut.	Natural, well-studied for morning sickness and chemo-induced nausea.	Effectiveness can vary; some may experience heartburn.
Plain Water (alone)	Rehydrates, but inefficiently without electrolytes.	Easily accessible, simple.	Less effective for severe fluid loss; can dilute remaining electrolytes.
High-Salt Concentration Water	Induces vomiting; irritates stomach lining.	Not recommended, potentially dangerous.	Causes further dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and organ strain.

Best Practices for Using Salt for Nausea

Here are some tips for using salt safely and effectively to manage nausea:

Use oral rehydration solutions: For best results in managing dehydration due to vomiting, use a properly balanced ORS (either commercial or homemade following WHO guidelines) to replenish fluids and electrolytes.
Sip, don't chug: Whether it's an ORS or plain water, sip small amounts slowly to avoid overwhelming your stomach and triggering more nausea.
Stick to bland, salty foods: Opt for simple salty snacks like pretzels or toast. Avoid fatty or overly seasoned foods, as they can exacerbate symptoms.
Listen to your body: If certain salty foods make your nausea worse, or you're experiencing severe symptoms, stop and consult a healthcare professional.

Conclusion: The Balanced Approach

The old remedy of reaching for salt when feeling nauseous is rooted in physiology, revolving around sodium's role in regulating hydration and electrolyte balance. When fluids are lost through vomiting or diarrhea, replenishing lost sodium is key to rehydration and mitigating related symptoms. However, this is not a license to ingest large amounts of salt. The effectiveness of salt lies in using it in carefully balanced amounts, as found in oral rehydration solutions or bland, salty crackers. This approach helps settle the stomach and restore the body's equilibrium without risking further complications. While salt can be an ally against nausea, a balanced and mindful approach is essential for safe and effective relief. For more comprehensive information on managing dehydration, see this guide from MedlinePlus.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, drinking highly concentrated salt water can be dangerous. Excessive salt intake can worsen dehydration by drawing water out of your cells and may also trigger more vomiting. It is much safer and more effective to use a properly balanced oral rehydration solution (ORS) or consume small amounts of bland salty foods.

An oral rehydration solution is a special drink that contains a balanced mixture of water, glucose (sugar), and electrolytes like sodium. This formulation helps the body absorb and retain fluids and salts more effectively than water alone, making it ideal for treating dehydration caused by vomiting or diarrhea.

Saltine crackers are effective because they are bland and dry, which helps absorb excess stomach acid and settles an upset stomach. Their mild saltiness also helps replenish some of the sodium lost due to illness, and their lack of strong odor or flavor makes them less likely to trigger further nausea.

Salt does not cure nausea completely, but it can help manage and alleviate the symptoms. The relief comes from correcting underlying issues like dehydration and electrolyte imbalance that often accompany the feeling of being sick. For other causes of nausea, such as motion sickness, other remedies might be needed.

Yes, having abnormally low sodium levels in the blood, a condition known as hyponatremia, can cause nausea and vomiting. This is because sodium is vital for regulating fluid balance, and an imbalance can disrupt normal bodily functions.

Sports drinks can be helpful as they contain electrolytes and sugar, but they are not always ideal. Some sports drinks have high sugar content, which can potentially worsen symptoms. For moderate to severe dehydration, an ORS is often a better choice due to its scientifically balanced formula.

When nausea strikes, start with small, slow sips of clear, cool fluids to stay hydrated. Opt for bland, salty foods like crackers if you can tolerate them, and avoid strong smells, rich foods, and lying down immediately after eating.