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Increased sodium intake is linked to higher blood pressure, and therefore larger chance of developing cardiovascular issues.
On the other hand, increased potassium intake (within RDA, which is a whopping 4500mg by some sources) is linked to less chance of developing such issues. At the same time, potassium chloride is used in lethal injections, which is not true for sodium chloride.
Is it considered a good practice to replace cooking NaCl salt with KCl?
Increasing K+ intake is alright but completely eliminating Na+ from the diet would be a bad idea.
In terms of the cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure associated with high NaCl intake,cutting down NaCl from the diet(that is making the food less saltier) or increasing the dietary intake of K+ through K+ rich fruits or vegetables could prove to be extremely useful but replacing NaCl with KCl without recommendation could cause side effects.
As we are aware that hypokalemia (low K+ in the blood) increases the risk but hyperkalemia (high K+ in the blood) too can cause the same. Source
Salt substitutes having high quantities of K+ in the form of KCl and KI and little amount of Na+ are considered to be better than having only KCl as the main component.The former donot help to eliminate Na+ from the diet but helps to maintain a high proportion of K+ to a low proportion of Na+ also they are a source of iodine.
The kidneys are very sensitive to high K+ in the blood and ECF thus efficiently excrete them.
People with renal disorders, hyperglycemia, neural disorders should be on a diet strictly prescribed by their physicians. This is because renal disorders and hyperglycemia renders slight hyperkalimia. The nervous system relies totally on the balanced levels of K+ and Na+. Source
"...People with kidney failure, heart failure, or diabetes should not use salt substitutes without medical advice. A manufacturer, LoSalt, has issued an advisory statement[6] that people taking the following prescription drugs should not use a salt substitute:amiloride, triamterene, Dytac, captopril& other angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, spironolactone, andeplerenone..."
Dietary sources should prove to be a more better approach to increase K+ intake in a non-prescribed otherwise healthy indivitual.They include:
"... All meats (red meat and chicken) and fish such as salmon, cod, flounder, and sardines are good sources of potassium. Soy products and veggie burgers are also good sources of potassium.Vegetables including broccoli, peas, lima beans, tomatoes, potatoes (especially their skins), sweet potatoes, and winter squash are all good sources of potassium.Fruits that contain significant amounts of potassium include citrus fruits, cantaloupe, bananas, kiwi, prunes, and apricots. Dried apricots contain more potassium than fresh apricots.Milk, yogurt, and nuts are also excellent sources of potassium..." Source
