Salt substitute

Morton Salt container next to a container of Morton Salt ...

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Salt substitute is an alternative low-sodium table salt that is marketed to avoid the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease associated with high sodium chloride intake while maintaining the same flavor. They usually contain most of potassium chloride, whose toxicity is more or less the same as table salt in a healthy person (LD ₅₀ is about 2.5 g/kg, or about 190 g for someone weighing 75 kg). Potassium lactate can also be used to reduce sodium levels in food products. These are usually used in meat and poultry products. The recommended daily allowance of potassium is higher than that for sodium, but typical people consume less potassium than sodium on a given day. Seaweed grains are also marketed as an alternative to salt.

However, various diseases and drugs can decrease potassium excretion of the body, thus increasing the risk of potentially fatal hyperkalemia. People with kidney failure, heart failure, or diabetes should not use salt substitutes without medical advice. Manufacturers, LoSalt, have issued advisory statements that the person taking the following prescription drugs should not use salt substitutes: amiloride, triamterene, Dytac, captopril & amp; inhibitors of other angiotensin-converting enzymes, spironolactone, and eplerenone.

Hydrolyzed or nucleotide proteins are sometimes added to potassium chloride to enhance the taste of salt substitutes.