Salt substitutes?

First issue for people on LSLF diets: to try to replace salt with a salt substitute or not?

Some people think it is better to go "cold turkey" rather than play with substitutes. The theory goes that weaning yourself from all salty flavors, including substitutes, will allow you to concentrate on low salt/no salt foods. However, it is acknowledged that not everyone can do this readily. Despite the Madison Avenue hype that salt substitutes are really substitutes, presently available substitutes have taste issues and raise new medical issues for some people as discussed below.

The potassium chloride (KCl) in most substitutes has an odd metallic taste to many people. In the basic KCl category is FRENCH's "Original NoSalt Sodium-Free Salt", "All the flavor without the sodium". If you taste the substitute directly out of the jar, this metallic taste is apparent. However, this is not a very meaningful test as these products are meant to be added to foods with other complex flavors. How much you can add depends on your own chemistry and the food you are adding it to. So if you want to try these products start with a small amount and increaseit slowly.

Some brands try to avoid this taste by mixing the KCl with other ingredients or even with some salt. For example AlsoSalt is a mixture of KCl with a natural amino acid. It is available in plain flavor as well as garlic flavor and butter flavor. They state,

"Why does AlsoSalt taste better? Other salt substitutes are mostly potassium chloride, a recognized and widely used replacement for table salt. But potassium chloride has a bitter, metallic aftertaste. Our patented process mixes L-lysine, an essential amino acid, with potassium chloride, effectively masking the aftertaste."

Nu-salt is KCl mixture with a "flavor modifier" and "taste modifier" and comes with this statement, "Please consult with your physician before using Nu-Salt."

Morton Lite Salt is an example of a KCl mix with normal salt (NaCl). (Note that it has significant amounts of both sodium and potassium and comes with this statement from its manufacturer, "Should not be used by persons on a sodium or potassium restricted diet unless approved by a physician.")

Suggest you decide for yourself which is better if you decide to use such substitutes and review the box below:

Most salt substitutes are based on potassium chloride (KCl). Many Americans actually need more potassium but for others additional potassium is a real concern. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 states, "Dietary potassium can lower blood pressure and blunt the effects of salt on blood pressure in some individuals. While salt substitutes containing potassium chloride may be useful for some individuals, they can be harmful to people with certain medical conditions. These individuals should consult a healthcare provider before using salt substitutes." Thus you should seek medical advice before making a major increase in your potassium input through use of KCl-based salt substitutes.