A major health update from Australia’s National Hypertension Taskforce now recommends that people start using potassium-enriched salt to help lower blood pressure.
This important announcement was published in the Journal of Hypertension and brings Australia in line with global best practices for heart health.
Potassium-enriched salt is a type of salt where part of the sodium is replaced with potassium. Instead of using regular table salt made entirely from sodium chloride, potassium-enriched salt contains about 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride.
This small change can make a big difference in health.
Experts say switching to this type of salt is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. Professor Bruce Neal from The George Institute for Global Health praised the new recommendation, saying it’s backed by strong science and long overdue.
The George Institute welcomed the move, calling it a practical step forward in helping Australians control their blood pressure and live healthier lives. They hope it will lead to fewer deaths and cases of disability caused by heart-related conditions.
High blood pressure is one of Australia’s biggest health problems. It affects one in three adults and is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in the country. Unfortunately, progress in controlling high blood pressure has been slow.
In response, the National Hypertension Taskforce was launched in 2022 with the bold goal of doubling blood pressure control rates—from 32% to 70%—by the year 2030.
Eating too much sodium (salt) and not enough potassium are both known to raise blood pressure. Globally, excess sodium is linked to 1.9 million deaths each year.
Even though public health campaigns have been encouraging people to cut back on salt for decades, most people still eat nearly twice the recommended amount. At the same time, most people don’t get enough potassium in their diets.
This is where potassium-enriched salt can help. It allows people to continue enjoying the taste of salt while cutting back on the harmful effects of too much sodium and boosting their potassium intake at the same time. Large clinical trials have shown that using this kind of salt can lower blood pressure and reduce deaths from heart disease.
Currently, almost every guideline for treating high blood pressure suggests cutting back on sodium. Some also suggest increasing potassium intake. However, very few guidelines—just four out of 32—mention potassium-enriched salt, and only two recommend using it regularly for blood pressure management.
But things are changing. Major global health organizations, like the European Society of Hypertension and the American Heart Association, now recommend potassium-enriched salt as part of their official guidelines.
The George Institute is urging the Australian government to include potassium-enriched salt in the next update of its national hypertension guidelines. They also emphasize the need for safe use, especially in people with kidney problems or those taking certain medications.
To make this change possible, The George Institute is working with partners around the world to make potassium-enriched salt more widely available. They’re also talking to food companies, government regulators, and consumers to help increase its use.
Switching to potassium-enriched salt is a small change with a big impact. It could help thousands of Australians live longer, healthier lives.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about How to eat your way to healthy blood pressure and results showing that Modified traditional Chinese cuisine can lower blood pressure.
