The replacement of regular salt with a salt substitute can reduce incidences of hypertension, or high blood pressure, in older adults without increasing their risk of low blood pressure episodes, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. People who used a salt substitute had a 40% lower incidence and likelihood of experiencing hypertension compared to those who used regular salt.

According to the World Health Organization, hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. It affects over 1.4 billion adults and results in 10.8 million deaths per year worldwide. One of the most effective ways to reduce hypertension risk is to reduce sodium intake. This study looks at salt substitutes as a better solution to control and maintain healthy blood pressure than reducing salt alone.

“Adults frequently fall into the trap of consuming excess salt through easily accessible and budget-friendly processed foods,” said Yangfeng Wu, MD, Ph.D., lead author of the study and Executive Director of Peking University Clinical Research Institute in Beijing, China. “It’s crucial to recognize the impact of our dietary choices on heart health and increase the public’s awareness of lower-sodium options.”