Using salt substitutes that have less sodium and more potassium can lower your blood pressure a little, which might help you avoid heart problems and live longer.

If you replace some of the regular salt in your food with a salt substitute that has less sodium, your blood pressure might drop a little — about 1.5 points for the top number and 1 point for the bottom number for every 10% less salt you use.

If you're over 65 and have had a stroke or high blood pressure, switching to a special salt that has less sodium and more potassium might help lower your chances of having another heart attack or stroke.

If older adults who’ve had a stroke or have high blood pressure switch from normal salt to a special salt with less sodium and more potassium, they might live longer.

If people eat less salt and more potassium-rich salt, the extra potassium might lower their blood pressure more than cutting back on salt alone — and most of that drop seems to come from the potassium.

If you eat less salt but add more potassium to it, your blood pressure might drop more if you usually don’t get much potassium in your diet—because your body gets a bigger boost from the potassium than it loses from the sodium.