Most of us know that eating too much salt isn't great for our health. But what if you could get the salty flavor you enjoy while consuming less sodium?
A new study suggests that switching to potassium-enriched salt could make a meaningful difference for heart health. Researchers estimated that replacing regular salt worldwide could prevent nearly 3 million deaths from heart disease, stroke and kidney disease each year. The findings, published in Nature Health, are based on computer modeling rather than a new clinical trial, so the numbers represent potential benefits, not proven outcomes.
Potassium-enriched salt looks and tastes much like ordinary table salt, but some of its sodium is replaced with potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. That's important because too much sodium and too little potassium can both contribute to high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
"Switching to potassium-enriched salt addresses both these dietary issues at the same time, with substantial health benefits," said Bruce Neal, a senior professorial fellow at The George Institute for Global Health.
To estimate the potential impact, researchers looked at what might happen if countries replaced regular salt with a version containing 25% potassium chloride. They considered different possibilities, including switching the salt used in home cooking, packaged foods and restaurant meals.
The biggest potential benefits came from replacing salt across the entire food supply. Researchers estimated that such a change could prevent nearly 3 million deaths and more than 10 million new cases of cardiovascular and kidney disease globally each year. In the United States alone, the projected number of deaths prevented was approximately 105,000 annually.
Those are substantial numbers, but a worldwide switch isn't something that could happen overnight. The estimates also depend on assumptions about how much sodium and potassium people consume and how changes in their diets might affect their health.
For Americans, there's another complication: Most of the sodium we eat doesn't come from the saltshaker. More than 70% comes from packaged and restaurant foods, meaning that swapping the salt used at home would only address part of our intake.
Still, there's good reason to be interested in potassium-enriched salt. Previous clinical trials have found that these substitutes can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of serious heart problems. In 2025, the World Health Organization recommended potassium-containing lower-sodium salt substitutes as an alternative to regular table salt for adults, with some important exceptions.
The substitutes aren't safe for everyone. People with kidney disease or certain health conditions may have trouble managing extra potassium, which can build up to dangerous levels. Some medications can also raise potassium levels. Anyone with these concerns should check with a health care professional before switching salts.
The researchers considered these potential risks and still estimated substantial overall health benefits. But what's beneficial across a population isn't necessarily appropriate for every individual.
Cost and availability are other challenges. Potassium-enriched salt is often more expensive than regular salt, and changing the ingredients used in processed foods and restaurant meals would take considerable coordination.
The study received no specific project funding, although individual researchers received support from Australian and international health research organizations, including the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the National Heart Foundation of Australia, the Dutch Kidney Foundation and Resolve to Save Lives. Several authors reported financial relationships with pharmaceutical, medical technology and public health organizations.