|
The Dangers of Nitrites:
The Foods They are Found In and Why You Want to Avoid Them
Article by SixWise.com
 Sodium
nitrite (or sodium nitrate) is widely used as a preservative,
antimicrobial agent, color fixative and flavoring in cured meats and
other products.
Children born to moms who ate a lot of
nitrite-containing cured meats while they were pregnant may have an
increased risk of brain tumors.
If you eat hot dogs, bacon, ham, luncheon meats,
corned beef, smoked fish or any other type of processed meat; you are
almost assuredly consuming nitrites.
If you love lunchmeat, pepperoni, bacon, sausage and
other cured meats, look for nitrite-free varieties in your grocery
store. If they're not there, request them!
Though this preservative has been studied for more
than 50 years, there is still ongoing debate as to whether or not it's
harmful. Some experts say that the health claims against the
preservative have "not been substantiated" while others recommend
avoiding them in your diet entirely.
Why You May Want to Avoid Nitrites
Numerous studies have found that nitrites contribute
to a variety of negative health effects, which we've compiled here.
- Cancer: When you eat nitrites, they can be
converted into nitrosamines, which are potent cancer-causing
chemicals, in your body. Specific cancers seem to be most affected,
including:
- Colorectal Cancer: People who ate the most
processed meat were 50 percent more likely to develop lower colon
cancer, according to a study in the Journal of the American
Medical Association.
- Stomach Cancer: An investigation into 15
studies on processed meat found that the risk of stomach cancer
increased from 15 percent to 38 percent if the processed meats
ratio consumed by an individual rose by 30 grams.
- Pancreatic Cancer: People who ate the most
processed meats had a 68 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer
compared with those who ate the least, a study in the Journal of
the National Cancer Institute found.
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD):
People who ate more than 14 servings of cured meats per month scored
lower on tests of lung function and had an increased risk of COPD
compared with people who did not eat cured meats. For each
additional serving of cured meat per month, the study found a 2
percent increased risk for COPD.
- DNA Mutations: Hot dogs that contain nitrites
have been found to contain DNA-mutating compounds. If enough DNA
mutations occur in the gut, it could increase your risk of colon
cancer.
- Brain Tumors in Children: Children born to women
who ate a lot of cured meats during pregnancy had a two to three
times greater risk of developing a brain tumor than those born to
mothers who did not eat cured meats. Children whose mothers at low
levels of cured meats during pregnancy had a moderate increase in
brain tumor risk, the study, published in Public Health Nutrition,
found.
Does This Mean I Should Never Eat Bologna, Hot
Dogs, Pepperoni ... ?
Yes ... and no. If you are concerned about nitrites
and want to avoid them in your diet, you must cut out most all
commercial hot dogs, luncheon meats, sausages, bacon, and processed
meats (even that in canned soup).
However, supermarkets are increasingly offering
nitrate/nitrite-free varieties of everyone's favorites. While some
have pointed out that nitrite-free meats are often still "cured" using
salt, sugar or another natural curing agent, which may be misleading
to consumers, they do not, at least, contain nitrites.
To make even healthier meat choices, look for nitrite-free products
that are also grass-fed and free of artificial flavors, artificial
colors and byproducts.
It's also worth noting that processed meats are not
the only sources of nitrites. Green leafy vegetables and root
vegetables contain naturally occurring nitrites, though it's thought
that compounds in the vegetables inhibit the formation of the harmful
nitrosamines in your body.
Nitrites also exist in drinking water due to
fertilizers, manure, animal feedlots and other environmental pollution
sources.
Sources
Journal of the American Medical Association 2005 Jan
12;293(2):172-82
Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2006 Aug 2;98(15):1078-87
Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2005 Oct 5;97(19):1458-65
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine April 2007,
Vol 175. pp. 798-804
Public Health Nutrition 2001 Apr;4(2):183-9
FOXNews.com |
