Nitrates are a common buzz word tossed around in discussions on all “things to limit” in your foods. But if Americans were asked what nitrates were, I would venture to guess that very few people could clearly articulate what they were or more importantly what they do.
First off, it’s important to understand that these two molecules are not the same, they are close, they vary slightly in chemical structure. Sodium nitrate (the ingredient commonly referenced in our foods) is a precursor to sodium nitrite. When sodium nitrate is exposed to natural digestive bacteria, it converts to sodium nitrite in the body. Today, most food manufacturers skip the lengthy process of gradually converting nitrate to nitrite by adding synthetic sodium nitrite instead.
They are added to foods as a preservative to help to prevent bacterial growth to keep food safer for us to eat. Nitrates also give color to foods, to make them more appealing, and prevent browning. You’ll find them most commonly added to bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and lunch meats.
But nitrates and nitrites are not just in those products. They are all around us. Nitrates are also naturally formed by the human body, exist in vegetables and can even be found in our water.
But synthetic nitrates and nitrates also exist---which is the basis of our discussion. They are mostly used for medicinal purposes and food preservation. For instance, nitrates may be provided in a patient with chest pains to help dilate blood vessels and increase oxygen delivery to our tissues. Or used, as we mentioned previously, to help keep prevent bacterial growth in foods or enhance flavor by making it taste salty.
And believe it or not, though many of us might assume that most of our exposure to nitrates and nitrates comes from that which is added to our foods, the truth is that it’s a very small amount of what we consume today. The greatest exposure comes from fruits and vegetables, which naturally contain nitrates from the soil they are grown in. Followed by the trace amounts of nitrates that can be found in drinking water.
The acceptable daily intake for nitrates is 5 mg sodium nitrate (OR 0-3.7 mg nitrate) per kg body weight. That means a 130 pound adult has a limit of 200mg/day.
Some people would assert there is a link to nitrates and cancer. However the research here is unclear. The most concerning part about nitrates is what animal studies have shown regarding nitrates and high heat. Basically, when nitrates are paired with amino acids are heated to high temperatures they can form compounds called nitrosamines, which animal studies have shown may be carcinogenic. For this reason, the USDA developed limitations to the amount of nitrates that can be added to meats and has required that all nitrate containing products also contain vitamin C. Since Vitamin C helps prevent the formation of nitrosamines.
Basically, there is a lot we are still learning about exposure to our environment, foods, drinking water and so much more related to risk for chronic disease. And ultimately, all substances both man-made and natural, could be considered potential toxins at some level. If you are concerned about the risk, you could always choose to consume nitrate free meats or choose to limit the exposure of your nitrate containing meats to extreme heat and charring, or both.
The great things is, if you are concerned about limiting nitrates and nitrites in your foods, there are a wide variety of options available today. Here’s what you can do…..
Look at the nutrition panel and avoid foods with:
Unfortunately, because USDA labeling rules exist for products cured using plant-based nitrate and nitrite, these foods could also be labeled as “uncured”. So how can you tell if a meat product is cured using a synthetic or a natural source of nitrate?