Salt Substitutes: Potassium Chloride, Safety and Salt Alternatives

Salt substitutes are seasonings that replace some or all of the sodium chloride in table salt, most often with potassium chloride. For many people they are a simple way to cut sodium while keeping a salty taste, but they are not right for everyone: the extra potassium can build up in people with kidney disease or in those who take certain blood pressure medicines. Below we cover what is inside a salt substitute, how it compares with regular salt, what the largest trial found, who should talk to a clinician first, and salt alternatives that add flavor without potassium.

Peptide Labs does not sell salt substitutes. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What are salt substitutes?

A salt substitute is any ingredient used in place of sodium chloride for a salty or savory taste. The products sold next to the salt shaker usually fall into three groups:

• Potassium chloride salt substitute: potassium chloride on its own, which tastes salty but can be bitter or metallic to some people. These products are often labeled sodium-free.
• Blended or lite salts: a mix of sodium chloride and potassium chloride, so they still contain sodium, just less of it than table salt.
• Seasoning blends: dried herbs, garlic, onion, pepper, citrus peel and spices with no salt at all. Some savory blends use yeast extract or MSG for depth.

MSG (monosodium glutamate) deserves a note. FDA considers it generally recognized as safe (GRAS) when added to foods and requires it to be listed as monosodium glutamate in the ingredient panel. It adds a savory taste, but it still contains sodium, so it lowers sodium only when it replaces some of the salt in a recipe.

Salt vs salt substitute: sodium and potassium

The table compares regular salt with the types of salt substitute you will find. Table salt values come from the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entry (FDC 173468); potassium values for substitutes come from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) potassium fact sheet, because USDA has no salt-substitute entry. Exact amounts depend on the product, so check its Nutrition Facts label.

FDA sets the Daily Value for sodium at less than 2,300 milligrams per day, about one teaspoon of salt, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030 give the same limit for ages 14 and older. FDA notes that more than 70% of the sodium Americans eat comes from packaged and prepared foods, not the salt shaker. That matters: a salt substitute only changes the salt you add yourself. Reading labels and choosing lower-sodium versions of everyday foods often makes a bigger difference. Our guide to lower-sodium foods shows which foods carry the most sodium, and the Himalayan salt guide explains why pink and sea salts are still mostly sodium chloride.

Are salt substitutes safe?

For most healthy adults, potassium from food is handled easily by the kidneys. The concern is people whose kidneys cannot clear potassium normally. MedlinePlus lists kidney disease, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), spironolactone and “taking extra potassium, such as salt substitutes or supplements” among the causes of a high blood potassium level (hyperkalemia). The NIH potassium fact sheet adds that in people with chronic kidney disease, or who use medicines such as ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics, even ordinary potassium intakes can cause hyperkalemia.

Ask your clinician or pharmacist before using a salt substitute if any of these apply:

• You have kidney disease or reduced kidney function.
• You take an ACE inhibitor (names often end in -pril) or an ARB (names often end in -sartan).
• You take a potassium-sparing diuretic such as spironolactone; our water pills guide explains how diuretic types differ.
• You take a potassium supplement or were told to limit potassium.
• You have heart failure, diabetes or another condition for which your care team monitors blood potassium.

High potassium often causes no symptoms, so it is usually found on a blood test. MedlinePlus lists palpitations, a slow, weak or irregular pulse, nausea and chest pain as possible signs; sudden symptoms like these need urgent care. For background on the mineral itself, see our potassium guide and the list of potassium-rich foods, which counts toward the same total.

What the SSaSS trial found

The largest study of a potassium-enriched salt substitute is the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS), published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2021 and funded by Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council. It was a research trial, not a recommendation for any individual.

• Who took part: 20,995 adults in 600 villages in rural China who had a history of stroke or were 60 or older with high blood pressure; the average age was about 65.
• Design: villages were randomly assigned to a substitute made of 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride, or to keep using regular salt, for an average of 4.7 years. Participants knew which salt they used.
• Results: the salt-substitute group had lower rates of stroke, major cardiovascular events and death than the regular-salt group. Serious adverse events attributed to high potassium were not significantly different between groups.

The limits matter. The trial took place in rural China, where eating patterns differ from the US, where FDA says most sodium comes from packaged and prepared food. Participants were older adults with specific health histories, so the results do not show what happens in other groups, and they do not tell you whether a salt substitute is appropriate if you have kidney disease or take potassium-raising medicines. That decision belongs with your clinician.

FDA and salt substitutes in packaged foods

Many traditional foods, such as certain cheeses, breads and canned vegetables, have a federal “standard of identity” that lists salt as an ingredient. On April 10, 2023, FDA published a proposed rule that would let manufacturers use salt substitutes in those standardized foods. It would amend 80 standards that name salt, which affects about 140 of the roughly 250 standards in place. The proposal does not list approved substitutes; it defines them as safe and suitable ingredients that replace some or all added salt, and FDA cited potassium chloride, herbs, spices, yeast extracts and MSG as examples. As of this review we found no final rule on FDA’s sodium reduction page.

Separately, on August 15, 2024, FDA released draft guidance with a second round of voluntary sodium reduction targets for 163 food categories, building on the voluntary goals it finalized in October 2021. If more packaged foods switch to potassium chloride, people who need to watch potassium will need to read ingredient lists for it, not just the sodium line.

Salt alternatives without potassium

If a potassium chloride salt substitute is not a good fit, or you simply dislike the taste, flavor can come from other places. The Dietary Guidelines suggest herbs and spices in place of salt, and these options add no sodium:

• Acids: lemon or lime juice and zest, and vinegars.
• Aromatics: garlic, onion, ginger, shallots and scallions.
• Herbs: fresh or dried basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, dill and parsley.
• Spices: black pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, chili flakes and curry blends without added salt.
• Cooking methods: roasting, searing and toasting spices build savory flavor.

If you sweat heavily or have been told to watch your fluids, our electrolytes guide explains how sodium and potassium work together. And if you are also rethinking the fats you cook with, see our butter and margarine comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before changing salt or fats in your diet or starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, have a kidney or heart condition, or are pregnant. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Low Sodium Foods: USDA List, Foods High in Sodium and Label Terms, Potassium Supplement Guide: The 99 Milligram Limit, Side Effects and Low Potassium Symptoms, Himalayan Salt vs Sea Salt vs Table Salt: What Really Differs, Types of Salt: Table, Iodized, Kosher, Sea and Pickling Salt.