Welcome to brain stuff, a production of IHEART radio. Hey, brain stuff, Lauren Volga bomb here. Nitrates are usually associated with processed meats like Bacon or Bologna. But should you be worried about them? Perhaps, surprisingly, nitrates are not always bad, though of course, everything about nutrition is complicated, so let's back up a step. What is a nitrate? A nitrogen, of course, is a chemical element necessary for living things
to survive and grow. Nitrate is one of the nitrogen compounds that's used by animals and plants as a source of nitrogen. It's chemical formula is n o three, meaning it's a nitrogen atom with three oxygen atoms. Nitrite is another useful nitrogen compound. It's n o two, or a nitrogen atom with two oxygen atoms. For the article, this episode is based on how stuff work. Spoke with register her Dietitian, Chrystin Gillespie. She said nitrates are stable and
unlikely to cause bodily harm. However, bacteria and enzymes have the ability to convert them into nitrites, which may be harmful. Indeed, nitrates can be converted into two types of nitrites, either nitric oxide or nitrosamine, which yield very different results in the body. A nitric oxide is a good thing, but a conversion into nitrosamines is dicey. More on that in a minute. A nitrates are often associated with processed meats,
but those aren't the main source of the compound. In most human diets, around eight of the nitrates consumed by the average person come from vegetables, including things like beets, carrots and leafy Greens like spinach. Nitrates found in vegetables are converted into beneficial nitrites when they come into contact with bacteria in the mouth. These help produce nitric oxide, which causes vasodilation, or widening of the arteries. This widening lowers your blood pressure, allowing it to stay in a
nice and normal range. But nitrates are associated with processed meats because they're added as preservatives to prevent botulism, which is a potentially deadly form of food poisoning, and nitrates help keep the meats looking fresh and pink or rather than browned. HASTAF works also spoke with registered Dietitian nutritionist
Danielle Gaffin. She explained nitrite or nitrate salts, that is, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate potassium nitrite and potassium nitrate are used in most cured meat products, especially processed meats like ham, hot dogs, Bacon, sausage, Bologna, Salami, smoked fish and cold cuts. When added to meat, the Nitrite Molecule chemically reacts with the meat to create nitric oxide, which is the agent responsible for curing the meat. A nitrate will not cure
meat until it's converted to nitrite. Naturally occurring nitrates, such as those found in vegetables, are believed to be safe and even beneficial to consumers. Some studies have shown that they may reduce the risk of some cancers and chronic conditions. However, nitrates found in foods like cured meats can turn into those less desirable nitrites and nitrosomines when they're cooked with protein at high temperatures or when combined with stomach acid.
NITROSAMINES have been found to be potentially carcinogenic, that is, cancer causing. However, Gaffin pointed out that, once the concern became apparent to the scientific community, the nitrate levels deemed acceptable in processing were lowered. As she said, also because of this, vitamin C and e are now often added to cured meats to help reduce the nitrate reactions in the stomach. The other good news is that the average person doesn't consume enough processed meats to do too much damage.
For example, the risk of bowel cancer is pretty small. According to article from the BBC, six percent of people in the United Kingdom will get bowel cancer at some point in their lives. For people who ate fifty grams of processed meat, or about three strips of Bacon every day, the chance moved to just seven. How stuff works. Also spoke with Dr Chris Airy, medical director at the UK
based optimal. He said, of course, everything in moderation. I would say that if your diet is generally unprocessed produced rich full of healthy CARBS, fats and proteins, then the occasional charcuterie or bacon breakfast won't make or break your health. Remember, it's what we do on a daily basis consistently, rather than single meals or workouts, contribute the most to our overall health. Today's episode is based on the article should we be worried about night trates in our food? On
how stuff works dot com, written by Leah Hoyt. Brain stuff is production of I heart radio in partnership with how stuff works dot com, and it's produced by Tyler Klang. Four more podcast my heart radio. This is the I heart radio APP, apple podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. H