Nitrates - When Are They Dangerous?

Author: Victoria Aly Time for reading: ~2 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

In this article, learn more about Nitrates - When Are They Dangerous?. The use of nitrates as preservatives is not yet banned..

The presence of preservatives such as sodium nitrate helps prevent the appearance of bacteria in ham , salami and other processed or dried meats and gives them a pinkish-reddish color. However, under certain conditions, nitrates can damage cells in the body, leading to the development of tumors .

In the human body, 80% of nitrates are obtained through the consumption of vegetables such as spinach, radishes and lettuce. 13% come from drinking water.

The question arises as to how something that can be harmful to health can be so widespread in food and vegetables.

First, nitrates can be toxic to the body only if they are in large quantities. Second, various factors, such as food sources and certain bacteria in the gut, can affect nitrates and determine whether they will be poisonous or not.

Nitrates are not harmful to the body, but when they get into it and are in large quantities can be converted to nitrites . They bind to hemoglobin in the blood, resulting in the formation of the compound methemoglobin . The presence of this compound leads to the appearance of the condition methemoglobinemia . It is characterized by bruising of the skin and mucous membranes (cyanosis).

Moderate amounts of nitrates that enter the body through food are converted into nitric oxidein the intestine, which has an important effect in the body.

However, under certain conditions, nitrates can be converted to nitrosamines, molecules that lead to cancer.

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The use of nitrates as preservatives is not yet banned due to the fact that they prevent the transmission of various diseases and foodborne illnesses, such as botulism.

The maximum levels for nitrates per kilogram are:

in fresh spinach about 3000 mg NO3 / kg,

in fresh lettuce about 2500 - 4000 mg NO3 / kg,

in the Iceberg lettuce about 2000 mg NO3 / kg,

in baby and processed cereal-based foods for infants and young children - 200 mg NO3 / kg.

In order to reduce the amount of nitrates consumed through consumption, it is recommended to remove the "most nitrate" parts of the plants, such as the cob and the outer leaves of cabbage, the skins and tails of cucumbers and zucchini. The presence of yellow spots on vegetables indicates an excessive content of nitrates and it is desirable to avoid their consumption.

After cooking vegetables, the water should be poured immediately after cooking. It contains about 40-80% of nitrates extracted from vegetables. Cooking should be continued with clean water, experts recommend.

Avoid eating sausages and smoked meat products more than once a week, as they contain nitrates for canning.

Nitrates - When Are They Dangerous?

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