A simple change to the salt used in everyday cooking and food production could save millions of lives each year, according to new research highlighting the global health benefits of potassium-enriched salt. The findings suggest that replacing conventional salt with a healthier alternative could significantly reduce deaths from heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, offering a potentially affordable way to tackle some of the world’s leading health threats.
Researchers from The George Institute for Global Health examined the potential impact of switching to potassium-enriched salt across 193 countries. Their analysis estimated that replacing regular salt worldwide could prevent nearly three million deaths and more than ten million new cases of cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease annually. In many countries, the change could avert as many as one in ten cardiovascular deaths.
Unlike conventional table salt, which consists primarily of sodium chloride, potassium-enriched salt replaces some sodium with potassium chloride. It looks, tastes and performs much like ordinary salt in cooking, making it a relatively straightforward substitute. In 2025, the World Health Organization endorsed its use to help lower blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular risks.
Excessive sodium consumption and insufficient potassium intake are major contributors to high blood pressure, which affects approximately 1.4 billion adults worldwide. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally, claiming 19.2 million lives in 2023. Professor Bruce Neal of The George Institute explained that potassium-enriched salt addresses both dietary problems simultaneously, potentially delivering substantial health improvements.
The researchers explored several scenarios, ranging from replacing all salt consumed globally to targeting people already diagnosed with hypertension. Switching household table salt alone could prevent approximately 1.85 million deaths annually, while replacing salt in processed foods and restaurants could avert another 1.56 million. A comprehensive transition across both sources could prevent 2.96 million deaths and 10.17 million new cardiovascular and kidney disease cases each year.
Even targeted interventions could produce meaningful results. Replacing household salt among 80 per cent of people diagnosed with hypertension could prevent approximately 590,000 deaths annually. Among those receiving treatment for high blood pressure, the estimated benefit was 480,000 fewer deaths. The findings suggest that substantial improvements are possible without requiring an immediate worldwide transition.
The potential impact varies considerably between countries. China could prevent more than one million deaths annually, followed by approximately 400,000 in India and 105,000 in the United States. The United Kingdom could avoid nearly 13,000 deaths each year. However, researchers cautioned that people with advanced kidney disease or taking certain medications may face risks from elevated potassium levels and require medical supervision.
Achieving these benefits would require coordinated action from governments, healthcare providers and food manufacturers. In Europe and North America, where processed and restaurant foods account for more than 70 per cent of salt consumption, industry participation would be particularly important. Although a complete global transition remains ambitious, researchers believe potassium-enriched salt represents a promising, potentially cost-effective public health strategy capable of preventing millions of avoidable deaths.
More information: Liping Huang et al, Global health outcomes from replacing dietary sodium chloride with potassium-enriched salt, Nature Health. DOI: 10.1038/s44360-026-00216-9
Journal information: Nature Health Provided by George Institute for Global Health