Can substituting salt with alternative ingredients be an effective way to reduce its intake?
Kacper Nowak
2026-03-17
4 min. read
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While salt is a staple in global cuisine, excessive intake can lead to health risks such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. At the same time, it remains vital for bodily functions due to its sodium and chlorine content. Thus, the question arises whether salt substitutes can serve as a healthier option and effectively mitigate the adverse effects of overconsumption.
Why isn't salt healthy?
A diet rich in sodium chloride is now considered to be one of the main causes of hypertension. Due to high sodium intake in the daily diet, water retention occurs in the body, which can also lead to swelling and increase the risk of stroke or heart attack. Therefore, the World Health Organization recommends that in order to reduce the risk for hypertension, the amount of sodium it consumes should be reduced to 5-6 grams per day. Studies have shown that reducing salt intake to about 5 g per day can lead to a reduction in blood pressure by 1−2 Hg in people who eat salty foods and up to 4 mmHg in those with high blood pressure.
Is that what salt substitutes are for?
Among the most popular and healthiest salt substitutes are herbs that affect the taste of food without the use of sodium chloride. These include basil, which gives the appropriate flavor values to meat or vegetable dishes, mayonnaise or broth used in soups, parsley used in sauces, or popular in the cuisine of Polish onions, garlic or pepper, ginger or lemon. Herbs not only enrich the taste, but also support the liver, improve digestion, eliminate bloating and are especially recommended for people who, for health reasons, must eliminate salt in the sauce.
Are salt substitutes any good at reducing salt intake?
Salt substitutes are products that can be used instead of traditional cooking salt to reduce the intake of sodium chloride along with the diet. Despite the low content of this ingredient, they give a similar salty flavor to the foods to which they are added, so they may be used specifically for the purpose of reducing the risk of developing hypertension.
What's the salt limit?
According to the recommendations, the daily intake of salt should not exceed 5 grams of this ingredient in the diet. This amount is comparable to the amount of salt contained in a single, flat spoonful of the product, so this is not a significant amount given the fact that most food products contain an additive of this nutrient in their composition. Moreover, it is necessary to read the labels of the products because it is among the information contained there that you can find the data on the content of this compound in the product.
