According to medical studies, the human body needs both salt and potassium for good health and avoidance of high blood pressure and other serious conditions. The key is balance.

Based on a recommended daily intake of two liters of water, a person would ingest approximately 252 milligrams (mg), or 126 milligrams per liter (mg/l), of sodium in water that was originally 16 grains hard and softened with KCl as the regenerant. That represents nearly 13 percent of the recommended daily adult sodium dietary level of 2,000 mg. U.S. drinking water standards require less than 20 mg of sodium per liter for people on restricted diets, which represents 10 percent of the population.

In contrast, the same water, softened by KCl would add no sodium to a person's daily diet, and the individual would receive a dietary bonus of potassium in the amount of 427 mg, or 22 percent of the minimum recommended daily requirement of 1,950 mg of adult dietary potassium. Other dietary sources of potassium include bananas, oranges, lettuce, beans, peas and fresh vegetables. A study from the University of Mississippi states that consuming foods rich in potassium helps keep blood vessels healthy through protection against hardening of the arteries.