Have you ever read the list of food ingredients on the packaging of products like potato chips, instant mashed potatoes, or soda? You’d be amazed by the number of unhealthy food ingredients there are in each of these foods, with ingredients like MSG, propylene glycol, and artificial flavorings being just a few.
If you have ever bought any form of cured meats – think hot dogs, sausages, bacon, ham, and pretty much any kind of cold cut – you have probably run into nitrites and nitrates. These two chemicals can be found in just about any meat product, and they can be pretty harmful if you’re not careful!
The Truth About Nitrites and Nitrates
Did you know that you can find both nitrites and nitrates in just about every vegetable on the planet? These two compounds can be found pretty much everywhere in nature, so they can’t be too harmful, can they?
Well, these two compounds alone are pretty harmless – in fact, they’re essential for many of the chemical reactions that keep your body running properly. Problems begin when they come in contact with certain compounds – compounds like protein. The contact between these specific compounds leads to the formation of cancer-causing toxins.
Source: bbc.co.uk
To make things even worse, forms of these two compounds are added into our food. Both potassium nitrite and sodium nitrate are added to meats, as it helps them to maintain their color and freshness. These chemicals stop the meat from spoiling, keeps rats away, and prevent the growth of bacteria. Thanks to the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers, these two compounds can even be found in uncured meats.
Nitrites are usually pretty harmless, but they can become carcinogenic when they are exposed to high heat. Nitrates are often added as a preservative into food, and they can turn into nitrites – which could lead to them turning into carcinogenic nitrosamines.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
Experts are still finding more and more links between these two compounds and a number of health problems – such as leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and cancer in a number of body parts. However, both nitrites and nitrates can be fairly harmless if they are consumed in small quantities and if they are no exposed to high heat.
Avoiding Nitrites and Nitrates
Here is how you can avoid these two compounds – for your health’s sake:
- Eat more organic — Organic foods are grown without the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers, so there’s little to no risk that your veggies will contain either nitrates or nitrites if you go organic. Check out the Dirty Dozen List to see which foods are best to buy organic.
- Cut cold cuts — It may be hard to hear, but those hot dogs, ham sandwiches, and meat platters are going to have to go bye-bye. It’s just best to eliminate processed food altogether, but at least limit your exposure to meat products in order to avoid the harmful forms of these compounds.
- Don’t skimp on your fruits and veggies — In the presence of antioxidants like Vitamin C, nitrates and nitrites are rendered harmless – which is why eating veggies and fruits is so good despite the presence of these two compounds. If you want to ensure that you’re staying healthy, load up on the dark greens, the bright reds, and everything in between. The more color your veggies have, the healthier and richer in antioxidants they are.
Source: lifestyle.yahoo.com
Basically, limiting the amount of processed meat that you eat will be the best way to avoid nitrites and nitrates, but why not go the distance and take your healthy diet all the way?
