Why Some Nitrates Are Healthy While Others Are Harmful
Highlights:
-Nitrate-rich plant foods are a valuable part of your diet as they help promote heart health. Meanwhile, the nitrates in cured and processed meats such as bacon and hotdogs are known to be carcinogenic
-Nitrites from plants turn into beneficial NO due to the presence of antioxidants such as vitamin C and polyphenols
-NO is a soluble gas, and while it’s a free radical, it’s also an important biological signaling molecule that supports normal endothelial function and protects your mitochondria
-Dietary nitrates are converted into nitrites by oral bacteria. The nitrites are then converted into either nitric oxide (NO) or N-nitroso compounds when reacting with your stomach acid
-Nitrites from processed meat turn into carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds such as nitrosamines due to the presence of proteins and heme in the meat. Nitrates are also more prone to converting into carcinogenic nitrosamines when heated
