Many people eat far more salt than they realize every day. Salt is hidden in a huge range of common foods, including pizza, chips, burgers, bread, soups, sauces, and processed snacks. Even foods that do not taste especially salty can contain large amounts of sodium.
In the United States, the average person consumes more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day. This is much higher than the recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams suggested by health experts. Some people, especially those with high blood pressure or heart disease, are advised to consume even less.
Eating too much sodium can have serious effects on health. Excess sodium causes the body to hold onto extra fluid, which increases pressure inside blood vessels. Over time, this can raise blood pressure and place extra strain on the heart.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease and stroke. It can also damage the kidneys, brain, and blood vessels. Because high blood pressure often develops slowly and without symptoms, many people do not realize they have it until serious health problems appear.
For years, scientists and doctors have searched for ways to help people reduce sodium intake without forcing them to completely give up the salty taste they enjoy. One promising solution came from researchers supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, or NHLBI.
In 2015, scientists developed a new type of salt substitute designed to lower sodium intake while still providing a familiar salty flavor. The blend contains 75% regular table salt, known as sodium chloride, and 25% potassium chloride.
Potassium is an important mineral naturally found in foods such as bananas, potatoes, spinach, beans, avocados, and leafy vegetables. Unlike sodium, potassium can actually help lower blood pressure. It helps blood vessels relax and supports healthy heart function.
Researchers believed that replacing part of the sodium in salt with potassium might help people improve their heart health without drastically changing their diets. The idea was simple: keep the salty taste people enjoy while reducing one of the main causes of high blood pressure.
To find out whether this salt substitute could work in real communities, researchers led by Dr. Jaime Miranda carried out a large study in Peru.
The study took place between 2014 and 2017 in six villages located in the Tumbes region of Peru. Many people in this area have limited access to healthcare, and high blood pressure is common.
The researchers included 2,376 participants ranging in age from 18 to over 65 years old. Instead of asking participants to make major lifestyle changes, the scientists simply replaced regular salt in the community with the new low-sodium, potassium-enriched salt blend.
The results were encouraging. People who used the salt substitute experienced lower blood pressure compared to those who continued using regular salt. The researchers also found fewer new cases of high blood pressure developing during the study period.
On average, blood pressure dropped by about 2 mm Hg. While this may seem like a small reduction, experts say even modest decreases in blood pressure can significantly lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes across large populations.
Importantly, the researchers did not find serious side effects in most participants. This suggests the salt substitute was generally safe for healthy adults in the study.
Dr. Miranda said this simple dietary change could become a powerful and affordable public health strategy, especially in communities where access to healthcare and medications is limited. Because salt is used daily by almost everyone, even a small improvement in its composition could have a large impact on public health.
The findings also support growing evidence that improving diet may sometimes prevent disease before medication becomes necessary. Public health experts increasingly believe that small, sustainable changes in everyday eating habits may help reduce the global burden of heart disease.
However, researchers also emphasized that the salt substitute may not be safe for everyone. People with kidney disease or certain chronic illnesses may have difficulty removing excess potassium from the body. If potassium levels become too high, it can lead to dangerous heart rhythm problems.
For this reason, doctors recommend that people with kidney problems, heart disease, or other chronic medical conditions speak with a healthcare provider before switching to potassium-enriched salt substitutes.
The new salt blend is not meant to replace all other healthy lifestyle habits. Experts still recommend following heart-healthy diets such as the DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
This eating plan encourages people to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products while reducing sodium intake.
Regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol intake, and managing stress also play important roles in controlling blood pressure and protecting heart health.
The study highlights how simple food changes may help address one of the world’s biggest health challenges. Heart disease and stroke remain leading causes of death globally, and high blood pressure is one of the biggest contributing factors.
Researchers believe that products like low-sodium salt substitutes may become an important tool in helping people reduce cardiovascular risk without completely changing the foods they enjoy eating.
As scientists continue studying better ways to improve public health through nutrition, the findings from Peru offer hope that even small dietary changes can make a meaningful difference in preventing disease and helping people live longer, healthier lives.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about breakfast for better blood pressure management, and the gut feeling that lowers blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how the dash diet helps lower blood pressure, and how to eat your way to healthy blood pressure.
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