# Salt substitutes: do you know of any really good ones?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 1, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020 "2003-02-01T01:46:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Oldmaid85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oldmaid85)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020/1 "2003-02-01T01:46:55Z")
My doctor tells me I need to drastically reduce my salt intake and he recommends that I start by eliminating cooking or seasoning with it. Problem is, I enjoy cooking and like the taste of salt. Do you know of any really good salt substitutes?
thank you.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020/2 "2003-02-01T03:45:03Z")
This question might get a better answer in a different forum.
Most salt substitutes have potassium chloride. These have a salty taste, but be careful if you have problems with high potassium or are taking certain water pills or inhibitors (heart pills ending in “pril”)
Better to use other spices. Lemon pepper may be the best generic substitute. Try basil or oregano in Italian dishes and soups, light Italian dressing on fries, what sort of stuff do you add salt to, anyway?
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2003, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020/3 "2003-02-01T05:54:12Z")
Mrs. Dash has a fairly wide variety of different flavors, and they’re mostly pretty good. But they don’t taste like salt, so if you’re looking for a substitute that emulates salt, they’re not what you’re looking for.
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### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020/4 "2003-02-01T06:40:40Z")
You may want to read what Cecil has to say first. [Potassium Chloride](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a991217.html) is one of the things that is used in leathal injection.
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### Author:  [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2003, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020/5 "2003-02-01T10:46:46Z")
yes, indeed a large IV injection of KCl will kill you, sprinkling some on your food won’t.
something like LoSalt is good.
if you bake your own bread you may also like to know that it can be used instead of normal salt. the yeast need the chloride ions, not the sodium.
do you automatically reach for the salt shaker when you cook, or do you taste before you add? or are you one of the people who has the shaker on the table and adds salt afterwards?
the only food that actually needs salt is soup, everything else should be perfectly fine ithout it.
if you gradually up the amount of black pepper, and decrease the salt you’ll hardly miss it.
says irishgirl, who was brought up in a salt free home.
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### Author:  [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020/6 "2003-02-01T12:30:10Z")
Vinegar, black pepper, and various hot peppers and herbs. Salt-free salad dressing with extra vinegar tastes fine.
Also, instead of looking for salt substitutes, look for alternatives dishes that taste good with less salt. For example, pasta and bread contain a lot of salt, but baked potatoes and steamed rice don’t. For dishes that need a lot of salt to taste good, cook them less frequently or omit entirely. I haven’t had any miso soup since the day my doctor warned me about my borderline blood pressure. Before that I had a bowl with every lunch, since that’s what the cafeteria serves. I think this alone cut over 1 gram of salt a day.
And give it time. Soon you’ll get used to the taste of low salt food and start to find “norma” cooking too salty. Recently I had turkey and mashed potatoes at some museum cafeteria and it was so salty I couldn’t finish it. I asked my friend and he said it tasted normal.
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### Author:  [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020/7 "2003-02-01T12:31:32Z")
er, “normal” not “norma.” Apologies to anyone named Norma.
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### Author:  [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-substitutes-do-you-know-of-any-really-good-ones/152020/8 "2003-02-01T12:55:16Z")
I’d go with the “other spices” ideas already suggested, and also mention chili.
One thing to watch for, though, is salt mixed in with the other spices. I don’t want to single out any particular brands, but often chili and lemon pepper can contain salt, and sometimes loads of it.