Table salt, chemically known as iodized sodium chloride, is the main ingredient for enhancing flavor, preserving food and, of course, salting. However, the food industry and fast foods are popularizing ultra-processed foods rich in sodium, which increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Find out below what is the new table salt substitute and what are the benefits of this exchange.
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Use and abuse of table salt
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans report found that average Americans' sodium intake is nearly 1,000mg above the recommended daily amount. Considering sodium a micronutrient – that is, it needs to be used in small daily doses – this value is worrying in terms of public health. So scientists are looking for substitutes, and they seem to have found one that's perfect: potassium chloride. Find out more about the topic below.
Hypernatremia: do you know what it is?
An excess of the sodium element can cause side effects such as high blood pressure, fluid retention and encourage the progression of arterial hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. High levels of sodium in the body, which can also encourage dehydration, is called hypernatremia and is of clinical and public health importance. High sodium levels are also associated with dizziness, especially during workouts or gymnastics.
Why replace sodium in table salt?
With the advent of ultra-processed foods and monoculture, the diet is becoming increasingly restricted and with little variety of micronutrients. If before meals were balanced, now many elements are being left out – and others are absorbed in excess.
For this reason, there are so many people with excess sodium in the body and poor in iron (high rates of iron deficiency anemia, or iron deficiency anemia, prove this) or selenium. Iodine, for example, had to be inserted into table salt – because people weren't eating foods with this element, which is the main precursor of thyroid hormones.
Why Potassium?
Potassium is one of the elements that are little ingested by the majority of the population. Despite this, it is extremely important for the functioning of the body. Among its various functions, the following stand out: regulation of heartbeats, aid in the process of muscle contraction and functioning of the nerves, in addition to being present in the metabolic pathways of protein synthesis and metabolization of carbohydrates.
What do the studies say?
The sensory effect is little perceived by consumers of potassium chloride, however, the health benefits are easily highlighted. The reduction in the risks of cardiovascular diseases, by itself, demonstrates the importance of this replacement. In addition to potassium chloride, substituting salts based on monosodium glutamate is also an option, even if they contain sodium – even in a smaller amount.
