Why nitrates in bacon

There is no recommendation to limit foods that naturally contain nitrates. Nitrates are also added to processed meats as a preservative.

Food Additives. Dietitians look beyond fads to deliver reliable, life-changing advice. Want to unlock the potential of food? Connect with a dietitian. What are nitrates? Where are nitrates found? Nitrates are naturally found in vegetables such as: Beets Celery Lettuce Radishes and Spinach These foods provide the most nitrates in our diets.

Smaller amounts are found in: Dairy products like cheese Beef Poultry and Fish Nitrates are added to these foods to make their appearance and flavour more appealing. What about nitrates and processed meat? Should I avoid processed meat? Share on twitter. Share on linkedin. Share on pinterest. Dave Asprey. Dave Asprey is the founder of Bulletproof, and creator of the widely-popular Bulletproof Coffee.

Oz, and many more. Want to join our Biohacking Community? Sign up for Dave's newsletter today. Join Us. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy. Start hacking your way to better health. Subscribe Today. Studies suggest that dietary nitrates and nitrites can enhance physical performance, especially during high intensity endurance exercise.

Nitrates and nitrites are essential compounds, but they can become hazardous if they form nitrosamines. Nitrosamines can form if you cook nitrates or nitrites at high heat. There are different types of nitrosamines, and many can increase the risk for cancer.

Bacon, hot dogs, and processed meat can contain high levels of both sodium nitrite. On exposure to high heat, this combination creates the perfect conditions for nitrosamines to form Cooking vegetables, however, is less likely to produce nitrosamines.

When nitrites and amino acids are present, carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines can form during cooking with high heat. Manufacturers have to limit the amount of nitrites they use in processed meats by law, because of the dangers that nitrosamines pose. They also have to add vitamin C, which inhibits nitrosamine formation You can reduce your risk of nitrosamine exposure by making wise choices when shopping for processed meats, such as bacon.

Some natural and organic ways of preserving meat, such as celery salt, may contain nitrates. One older study suggests that cooking bacon in a microwave is the best way to minimize nitrosamine formation You can preserve it for longer by freezing it.

You can reduce your risk of nitrosamine exposure by carefully selecting processed meat products that are low in additives that contain nitrates. Nitrates and nitrites are compounds that occur naturally in the human body and some foods.

They can change into nitric oxide, dilate your blood vessels, and lower blood pressure. Moreover, they may enhance physical performance. Still, the carcinogenic compound nitrosamines can form if you cook nitrates or nitrites at high heat, which poses a health risk.

Due to strict regulations, there are less nitrites in processed foods today, as manufacturers have to limit the amount they use. You can reduce your risk of nitrosamine exposure by carefully studying the label when shopping for processed meats to find a product with limited or no additives that contain nitrates. Most people love bacon. It tastes awesome and goes with almost any food.

However, some people have raised concerns over potentially harmful compounds. But to be completely transparent about it, due to the basic rules of chemistry, products that include celery powder do end up containing naturally-occurring nitrate and its derivative, sodium nitrite. We could choose to make our bacon without celery powder but it would be gray in color and, quite honestly, not as tasty.

When it comes to bacon, ham and cured meats, we believe in providing our customers with wholesome, high-quality products made from welfare-approved, pasture-raised animals sourced from local farmers.

We encourage you to indulge in these specialty products in small quantities balanced with a good dose of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Are nitrates and nitrites bad for you? So are there nitrates or nitrites in there or what? Categories Uncategorized Recipes Education News.