Best Snacks for POTS With Plenty of Salt

You probably already know the best snacks for POTS have plenty of sodium, AKA salt. Short for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, this condition means constantly monitoring your sodium levels to keep your blood pressure and heart rate stable. Snacks can be a powerful way to fight off the symptoms of dizziness or rapid heartbeat that come with low sodium.

But just consuming as much sodium as you can isn’t good enough. The best snacks for people with POTS give you so much more than a salt bomb. They deliver real nutrition without any fluff or filler ingredients. And they actually taste great.

We curated this guide featuring our favorite POTS snacks, from the basics like hard-boiled eggs and pickles to more convenient, delicious options like carnivore chips. Learn more below. 

Key Takeaways 

• POTS affects as many as 3 million people in the US alone. 
• Sodium is the easiest way to manage POTS symptoms. You need 3,000-10,000mg per day.
• The best snacks for POTS don’t just have tons of sodium. They’re high in protein; low in refined sugar and other junk.
• Meat chips, salted nuts, pickles, hard-boiled eggs, and electrolyte drinks are the best snacks for people with POTS.
• Drinking enough water is just as important as salt intake. Get 2-3 liters every day.
• Even your meals need to consist of ample sodium intake.

The Importance of Sodium in Managing POTS 

POTS can make your heart rate spike 30 or more beats per minute (BPM) within 10 minutes of standing up.¹ It can also cause lightheadedness, brain fog, and fatigue. Patients say there are days when even just getting out of bed and doing the bare minimum is exhausting.

The underlying problem for around 70% of patients is low blood volume.¹ There just isn’t enough blood in circulation to keep up with gravity. So how does sodium come into play here? Simple - salt pulls water into your bloodstream. This expands blood plasma and gives your heart more to pump around the body. 

There’s a reason your doctor told you to eat more sodium when discussing your POTS diagnosis. A study published just 5 years ago in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that high sodium intake nearly eliminated the blood volume deficit in POTS patients, reducing it from -11% to less than -1%.² This also brought standing heart rate down from 60 BPM above resting to 46.²

But how much sodium do you really need to look for in snacks for POTS? According to the NIH Expert Consensus, you should get around 8-10 grams of sodium chloride per day alongside 2-3 liters of water.1 Cleveland Clinic says 3,000 to 10,000 mg of sodium daily.³

Our advice is to get a bit more specific with your doctor, as they know your health status best. That being said, the overarching theme is you need more sodium in your diet, and there are few better ways to get it than through snacks. 

So What Are the Best Snacks for People With POTS?

The best snacks for POTS actually check a few boxes that have nothing to do with sodium, although that is the starting qualifier. They must be high-protein, easy to eat quickly, and genuinely enjoyable so you can commit to consuming them daily. 

Then there’s the obvious stuff. We never recommend ultra-processed foods, even if they do have high sodium. Low sugar content is important because you don’t want to wreck your blood sugar and make matters worse. These are the best snacks for people with POTS:

Meat Chips

Anyone who has been diagnosed with POTS needs Carnivore Snax meat chips in their rotation. These are crafted from just two ingredients - regeneratively-raised whole-cuts of meat and Redmond’s Real Salt. That’s it. No nasty additives that only cause you more harm than good.

People refer to these meat chips as “meat pastries,” because they start out with a delightful airy crisp before melting in your mouth, giving way to tantalizing flavors. 

You’ll never get bored with Carnivore Snax, either, because there are so many varieties to choose from. Find your new favorite POTS snacks over on the website, from chicken chips to pork loin, brisket sliders, wagyu, and more. 

Salted Nuts

Almonds and cashews are our personal favorites, but any nut with a nice, heavy coating of salt is going to deliver plenty of sodium, magnesium, and healthy fats to encourage better cardiovascular function. Ideally, it would just be nuts and salts - no other seasonings or additives. Stick with dry-roasted or raw nuts. 

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Eggs are a literal superfood. Hard-boiled eggs make for a convenient snack when you need a quick hit of protein and fat, and it’s easy to coat them in salt. You can prep a batch at the start of each week and keep them cold. They’re one of the cheapest, most reliable snacks for POTS.

Sunflower Seeds

Like nuts, these are as easy it gets since the salt is already on the outer shell of the sunflower seed. But what really makes these one of the best snacks for people with POTS is how de-shelling them in your mouth forces you to slow down. Smaller servings and more frequent eating tends to reduce symptoms.³ Plus, you get vitamin E and selenium.

Apple Slices With Peanut Butter

Pair apple slices with natural peanut butter and sprinkle some extra salt in there for good measure. You get fiber, fat, and protein to go with the sodium. POTS symptoms usually flare up after blood sugar spikes and crashes, so the fact that this combo digests slowly makes it one of the best snacks for POTS. Almond butter is a fine substitute if you don’t like peanut butter. 

Pickles

One of the easiest POTS snacks you can keep in the fridge. A single dill pickle spear has over 300 mg of sodium with zero calories. A lot of POTS patients even drink the brine for one of the best salty snacks for POTS when you need sodium immediately. You should always have a jar in the fridge. 

Cheese Sticks

Mozzarella string cheese is your best bet here since it has around 200mg of sodium per stick. It can be unrefrigerated for a few hours, too, so it’s a bit more travel-friendly than other varieties. You get protein and fat, too, but you might want to pair cheese with some nuts or meat chips for a more complete snack with more sustenance. 

Looking for even more sodium in your snacks? Try aged cheeses such as parmesan cubes or sharp cheddar.

Drinks With Electrolytes

Okay, it’s not a snack in the traditional sense - we realize that. But electrolyte drinks are going to be pretty much non-negotiable for managing POTS symptoms. 

There’s a fine line between a good and bad electrolyte drink, though. Some have as much sugar as they do electrolytes (we’re exaggerating, but you get the point). Look for sugar-free alternatives that have at least 250-500mg of sodium. We like Nuun. Find whatever you prefer.

Salted Watermelon

A perfect snack for a warm day when you’re more at risk of dehydration to begin with.  You get sodium, hydration, and natural sugar that won’t spike glucose the way more processed snacks do. Watermelon is 90% water, after all, so it pulls double duty in helping you stay hydrated. 

Kimchi

What’s not to love about kimchi? Fermented, salty, and loaded with probiotics. This is one of the best snacks for POTS if your condition comes with gastrointestinal issues alongside the cardiovascular symptoms, as is the case for many patients. Fermented foods support gut health.⁴ A small bowl of kimchi delivers sodium and digestive benefits at the same time.

Snap Peas 

These are an excellent choice as well when you want something simple. They’re light enough to avoid triggering the blood-pooling effect that bigger snacks or meals can cause. The crunch is so satisfying, and you can dip them in hummus with extra salt or eat them with a salty dressing. You get solid vitamin C and fiber, too. 

Cottage Cheese

It may not be the most enjoyable, but cottage cheese is among the best salty snacks for POTS as far as function goes. You get 400mg of sodium and 14g of protein (give or take a little) from just half a cup. That’s not to mention everything you add to it - berries, nuts, whatever. 

Seaweed Snacks

Last but not least we have one of the best snacks for POTS, period. Seaweed is light, loaded with sodium, and super mineral dense. You get iodine, iron, calcium, and sodium in every bite. They’re only 5 calories per sheet, too, so they’re pretty much just a salt delivery vehicle that won’t make a dent in your calorie intake. 

What Else to Look For in POTS Snacks Besides Salt

You know you need the best salty snacks for POTS. But sodium is just one piece of the puzzle. You need to look at the rest of the label and think about other aspects of your nutrition, too:

• High protein: This macro keeps your blood sugar stable. Your body digests it slowly, too, so you stay full for longer without the spikes and crashes carbs can cause. 
• Low refined sugar: Sugar spikes cause your insulin levels to surge. That’s going to make vasodilation worse, dropping blood pressure further. 
• Potassium and magnesium: Sodium is just one pivotal electrolyte. Make sure you’re getting plenty of these other electrolytes, too. They help keep fluid levels balanced. We didn’t mention them, but bananas and avocados are also some of the best POTS snacks. 

In general, look for whole food snacks. The fewer ingredients, the better. The best snacks for POTS tend to be free of corn syrup, seed oils, and artificial additives. This makes the best snacks for people with POTS also some of the top anti-inflammatory snacks!

What Are Some Healthy Meals For POTS Patients? 

We know you came here looking for the best snacks for POTS - but your meals matter just as much, if not more so. 

In general, Cleveland Clinic recommends eating several smaller meals throughout the day instead of two or three large ones. Digestion redirects blood to your gut and away from your brain where it’s needed most.³

Your meals should mirror your snacks. That means lots of protein, plenty of sodium, and healthy fats. Complex carbs rather than refined carbs. Think sweet potatoes, grilled chicken, and a heap of soy sauce. Bone broth with veggies, salted of course. Salmon over salted rice. Scrambled eggs with cheese and avocado. You get the picture.

What you DON’T want to eat if you struggle with POTS is anything that spikes blood sugar and leaves you feeling foggier and more fatigued. That means no massive portions of pasta, white bread, or refined carbs on their own. Protein and healthy fat with every meal.⁴

Don’t Overlook the Role of Hydration! 

Salt without water isn’t doing anything for your POTS symptoms. Johns Hopkins suggests 2 to 2.5 liters.⁵ Don’t try to make up for poor water intake at the end of the day by chugging, either. You should be sipping slowly throughout the day. 

Thrive Despite Your Diagnosis With the Best Snacks For POTS 

There you have it, all the best snacks for people with POTS. As you can see, there are tons of options at your fingertips. You don’t have to get bored just because your condition requires you to maximize sodium intake. 

Our advice is to keep at least 5-10 of these snacks in your rotation and pull from them throughout the week to keep things fresh. Or at the very least, stock up on a few different varieties from Carnivore Snax so you never get tired of eating the same cut. 

Don’t let your ailment define you. Stay ahead of it with the best snacks for POTS!

Frequently asked questions 

What snacks are best for POTS?

Experts suggest eating whole food snacks with plenty of protein and sodium, which is why Carnivore Snax are widely considered to be the best snacks for POTS. They give you everything you need, nothing you don’t. And they’re genuinely delicious. 

What should I eat if I have POTS?

Smaller, more frequent meals with plenty of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. 

What foods aggravate POTS?

Refined carbs and sugar can spike sugar and make matters worse. Eat clean! 

Sources 

1. Vernino S, et al. "Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS): State of the science and clinical care from a 2019 National Institutes of Health Expert Consensus Meeting - Part 1." Autonomic Neuroscience. 2021;235:102828. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8455420/
2. Garland EM, et al. "Effect of High Dietary Sodium Intake in Patients With Postural Tachycardia Syndrome." Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2021;77(17):2174-2184. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8103825/
3. Cleveland Clinic. "Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)." https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16560-postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome-pots
4. Dysautonomia International. "Lifestyle Adaptations for POTS." http://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/page.php?ID=44
5. Johns Hopkins Medicine. "Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)." https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome-pots