A switch from regular salt to potassium-enriched alternatives in Australian kitchens and food factories could prevent more than 2,000 deaths a year, according to a global modelling study published in Nature Health. The researchers say the same change, applied worldwide, could avert nearly three million deaths annually, though these figures are projections rather than measured outcomes.
How the substitute works
Regular salt is sodium chloride. The alternative replaces part of that with potassium chloride, which lowers sodium intake while adding potassium. Both changes help reduce blood pressure, which is a major driver of strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease. The study estimated the scale of benefit across 193 countries, from researchers at The George Institute for Global Health.
What the projections assume
The largest estimates assume widespread replacement, including salt used in processed foods and restaurant cooking. For Australia, the researchers estimated 2,076 deaths and 15,674 new cases of cardiovascular and kidney disease could be prevented each year. The study also modelled a narrower change: switching only the salt used in home cooking and at the table. That more limited shift was estimated to prevent about 1.85 million deaths globally each year.
Practical considerations for households
- Potassium-enriched salts are often stocked in the health aisle of larger supermarkets, so shoppers may need to look beyond the standard salt shelf.
- Sydney meal delivery company Dietlicious has already reduced salt across its kitchens and now offers more than 50 meals made with it. Its founder, Janel Horton, said most customers did not notice a difference in taste, and the added cost was small relative to each meal.
- The substitute is not suitable for everyone. People with serious kidney disease, or those taking medicines that raise potassium levels, should consult a doctor before switching.
What comes next
Professor Bruce Neal, one of the study's authors, said awareness is a key barrier, since many people do not know the option exists. Clinical guidelines may soon be updated to encourage recommending the substitute to patients with high blood pressure, a change the researchers are working toward with the Stroke Foundation and the Heart Foundation. Until then, anyone with blood pressure concerns should discuss salt reduction with a clinician.