Debunked: eating salty snacks makes you thirsty

Salt's a big part of our diet, and there's a common perception that eating a lot of salty snacks makes you thirsty.

But you should probably take that theory with a grain of, well, you know. Because the salt in those snacks actually makes you hungry, not thirsty.

Two studies were released in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, and the research showed that as people ate more salt, they actually drank less water.

But the salt made them hungrier.

Here's how scientists break it down: Salt can start a mechanism in the kidneys to hold onto water.

That produces a process called urea, which uses a ton of energy, resulting in people feeling hungrier.

While that may be news to you, the next time you grab a drink, think about those salty bar snacks.

They're probably around to make sure you order food, not another round. Huh, so salt making you thirsty may be a misconception, but maybe there's something to that old trope about bartenders being fonts of wisdom.

Too salty dish? Here's what to do: