One study compared the use of table salt, made of 100% sodium chloride, with a substitute.
A group of Australian scientists have found that consuming a salt substitute may be linked to a lower risk of premature death, mainly that caused by cardiovascular diseases. To carry out their study, the results of which were published Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers conducted a systematic review of 16 randomized trials among 35,251 participants with an average age of 64 and a higher-than-average risk of cardiovascular disease. The essays were published before August 23 last year. The trials were conducted mainly in China, but also in the United Kingdom, Taiwan, the Netherlands and Norway. During the research, the use of common salt – composed of 100% sodium chloride – was compared with the use of a substitute composed of 25-30% potassium chloride and 60-75% sodium chloride sodium. According to the study, salt replacement was associated with a reduction in urine sodium and blood pressure, with an effect similar to that of drugs used to treat this condition. The scientists also found that the salt substitute was very effective in improving cardiovascular outcomes when used long-term.
Since two-thirds of the results came from China, scientists rated the evidence as having “very low certainty” in Western populations, as there is insufficient evidence on the effect of salt substitutes outside Asian countries. Likewise, the results cannot be generalized, since salt consumption patterns in West are driven by processed foods and takeaways, while research is based on preparing food at home.