Products labeled as nitrite/nitrate free, or without artificial preservatives are often perceived as being healthier, but is it true? Read this post for the answer!
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High concentrations of nitrite/nitrate can make people sick. Bottle fed infants – especially those under 3 months – are particularly vulnerable as it can cause methemoglobinemia, a.k.a the blue baby syndrome (5,8).
Nitrites and nitrates are colourless, tasteless and odourless and can only be detected through testing. If you live in an agricultural area or have your own source of drinking water, it is recommended that you test your drinking water for nitrite/nitrate contamination often – especially if you are pregnant or nursing (5,7,8,35,36,37).
Ingested nitrites and nitrates were classified as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2010 based on (9,27,28,29):
- Limited evidence that nitrates/nitrites in food might be associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer.
- Sufficient evidence that it can cause cancer in lab animals when ingested.
In 2018, IARC classified processed meat as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) based on (19,27,28,29):
- Sufficient evidence that their consumption can cause colorectal and potentially stomach cancer in humans.
However, it is important to remember that the IARC evaluation is not a measure of how likely you are to develop cancer from the product (i.e. the risk). It only evaluates if an agent is able or not to cause cancer (38).
Cold cuts are not “toxic” but are best consumed in moderation (30).
Remember, cancer is complex and multifactorial. Being exposed to carcinogens is not a cancer sentence – everyone is exposed to UV radiation, a group 1 carcinogen, but not everyone develops skin cancer (31,39).
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Are you confused by claims about nitrites and nitrates? Some say they are really bad for you, but it’s not that simple.
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