Could you point me to information about how salty snacks affect the GI system?

“Fatty foods stimulate contractions in the digestive tract, which, surprisingly, can either slow down the emptying of the stomach and worsen constipation or speed up movement and worsen or lead to diarrhea. The effect can depend on the type of fat and your tendency toward constipation or diarrhea. The problem with fried foods is the same as with fatty foods — they can move, undigested, through the body too quickly, leading to diarrhea, or stay in your digestive tract too long, causing you to feel full and bloated. Many fried foods are low in fiber and take longer to digest. So if you’re dealing with either diarrhea or constipation, you’ll want to avoid fried foods for a while. The conventional wisdom, says Krevsky, is that when you have indigestion, you should avoid fried foods because they tend to slow down the emptying of the stomach. The body doesn’t like trying to digest foods that are super sweet or salty — it likes moderation.”

Everyday Health

I think salt in particular will tend to pull water into the GI tract. This could lead toward general dehydration and loose bowels.

When you take in a lot of salt the body has to adjust water, potassium, salt, the electrolytes, so your heart keeps beating, and some other things. The balance of your electrolytes is extremely important. The body holds onto some water to adjust for fast increases in salt, so you probably feel a little bloated or swollen, and eventually the body gets rid of salts and water over time. The reason people will say when you diet the first few pounds are water, is be ause when you eat much less, you typically are taking in much less salt overall, so the body much shed water to keep the electrolytes in balance.

Thanks!