Foods Containing Nitrosamines

Although sodium nitrate is a permitted food additive, it can eventually form nitric oxide or nitrosamines, which are carcinogens.

Although nitrosamines have been affected by a possible link to cancer, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved sodium nitrate in foods.

This food additive is generally used to add flavor and color and to extend the shelf life of foods.

Sodium nitrate is a natural salt made up of sodium, nitrogen and oxygen.

It is used in meats as a preservative to prevent bacteria growth and food spoilage.

Some of these bacteria can be dangerous, like Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes , which cause potentially serious illnesses.

This food additive is considered safe . However, when sodium nitrate interacts with bacteria in meat. Then it changes chemically, loses its oxygen and becomes sodium nitrite.

Additionally, over time, sodium nitrate can form nitric oxide, which is a gas, or nitrosamines, which are chemicals that are known to cause cancer.

Foods Containing Sodium Nitrate

Sodium nitrate is not used in many foods. You are more likely to find sodium nitrite, one of the compounds formed spontaneously from sodium nitrate.

However, natural sodium nitrate is still used in dried meats or meats prepared in specialty stores.

Hot dogs

Preservatives have been used for hundreds of years as a way to extend the shelf life of meat by preventing bacterial growth.

Salt was once used for salting and preserving meats. But we have chosen nitrates as the main component of salt which helps to preserve them.

One of the foods that contains sodium nitrite is sausages, the main ingredient in hot dogs. The process involves adding spices, salt and nitrite and heating the meats.

During this process, the nitrite becomes nitric oxide, which binds to myoglobin, a red pigment that gives hot dogs their characteristic pink color.

A 1974 study published in the Journal of Food Science found that nitrates break down in sausages and other meats and bind to proteins to form nitrosamines.

How to create a balance

Since sodium nitrates have been linked to inflammation, the United States Department of Agriculture requires hot dog makers to add anti-inflammatory substances called antioxidants.

Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, are therefore added to minimize or neutralize the inflammatory effects of nitrates.

Salted meats

Most of the nitrates in the diet come from those found naturally in vegetables, which make sodium nitrate from nitrogen in the soil.

Thus, salted meats are not the only source of sodium nitrates. Indeed, less than 5% of its consumption comes from cold meats.

Here are some examples of these types of meats:

• Prosciutto or raw ham
• Capicollo or roast pork
• Pepperoni
• Salami
• Pancetta
• Bacon
• Cooked ham
• Meats sold in supermarkets.

Eating small amounts of processed meat each day, as little as 50 grams, increases the risk of colorectal cancer.

While the link between processed meats and cancer is unclear, nitrites and nitrates are currently being studied as a possible factor.

While it’s okay to eat processed meats like sausage or salami on occasion, we should replace them with healthier options. Like chicken or fresh fish, vegetarian versions of these meats or beans.

Fruits

Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient found in the soil which is taken up by all plants and used as the primary source of nitrate.

Thus, nitrate is a natural part of all vegetables, fruits and grains to varying degrees. Some plants have much higher nitrate levels than others.

In general, the nitrate contents are lower in fruits than in vegetables . Mostly root vegetables, due to the distance between the fruit and the soil.

The fruits highest in nitrates are strawberries, followed by gooseberries, raspberries and cherries.

Vegetables

High nitrate vegetables include:

• Lettuce
• Beetroot
• Carrot
• Green beans
• Spinach
• Parsley
• Cabbage
• Radish
• Celery

Obviously, we cannot forget that the nitrate content varies according to the composition of the soil.

Studies on vegetables high in nitrate, like lettuce and beets, have shown that when nitric oxide is higher in the bloodstream, blood pressure is lower.

In addition to relaxing or dilating blood vessels, nitric oxide also has antiplatelet properties. This helps prevent bad blood clotting.

Avoid processed meats

We could decrease the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines with good natural vitamin C.

However, it is better for our long term health to reduce the consumption of processed meats.

If we could really see how most of these products are made and what kind of “meat” they contain, we would probably never eat them again anyway.

If we add to that the high levels of sodium chloride, sodium nitrite, nitrosamines, and the cancer risk associated with consuming processed meats, we have very good reasons to switch to healthier alternatives.