33 ms·

If you are referring to sodium nitrite which is used (as part of curing salt) to preserve meats. Its also not terribly healthy in foods IIRC (of course its heal

If you are referring to sodium nitrite which is used (as part of curing salt) to preserve meats. Its also not terribly healthy in foods IIRC (of course its healthier to eat cured meat than to eat meat with Botulinum bacteria).

steve_adams_86 3y ago
Nitrites in vegetables, unintuitively, aren’t bad for you whereas the ones in salami are, indirectly. The problem isn’t nitrates and nitrites themselves though, but rather what’s present when they’re digested. Something has to convert nitrates to nitrites, or you need to consume nitrites, then something has to activate the nitrites into something harmful. With meat, the presence of haem for example allows for the formation of a type of N-nitroso compound (nitrosylated-haem in this case) which is cancer-causing. Vegetables don’t tend to come with such compounds, but actually come with compounds which inhibit the development of harmful nitrite-based compounds. Most of these are antioxidants. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible for vegetable-derived nitrites to harm you. It’s just far, far less likely. Fried meat that was previously cured is by far the most dangerous source of these cancer-causing compounds. The most well known example is probably bacon.
- aszantu 3y ago
  could you just use sodium nitrate to salt your food? Like once a week or so? edit: need=use
  - steve_adams_86 3y ago
    No, they're quite different from each other. NaCl (Sodium Chloride) functions as a flavour enhancer whereas NaNO3 (Sodium Nitrate) functions to preserve foods (among other non-culinary uses). The concentrations of NaNO3 used for food preservation are far lower (and strictly regulated in much of the world) than we normally use for flavouring foods when using NaCl. The flavour profiles are different, and the limits for consumption are much different as well. Too much of both is dangerous, but too much NaNO3 is arguably easier to reach and more harmful in the short and long term. NaNO3 can lead to immediate issues with hemoglobin production for example. In the longer term, high volumes are carcinogenic. Your primary concern with NaCl is managing safe blood pressure in the longer term, and in the shorter term, it's relatively easy to avoid toxicity or other more minor complications like dehydration.
    - aszantu 3y ago
      Thanks! I think im not getting enough nitrate/nitrite. Im pretty allergic to plants so i wondered about this
      - steve_adams_86 3y ago
        Ah, that’s really interesting. It might be worth talking to a doctor about how to dose that safely. It you consume it without activating foods, I suspect it could be safe. Perhaps that’s a good way to get some into your diet? Similar to a supplement taken on its own, just always without food (meat in particular).
        aszantu 3y ago
        my doctor is no help, sadly. Just sitting there, no suggestions or anything - I wonder if it's me and I'm too pushy with my own ideas

steve_adams_86 3y ago

Nitrites in vegetables, unintuitively, aren’t bad for you whereas the ones in salami are, indirectly. The problem isn’t nitrates and nitrites themselves though, but rather what’s present when they’re digested. Something has to convert nitrates to nitrites, or you need to consume nitrites, then something has to activate the nitrites into something harmful. With meat, the presence of haem for example allows for the formation of a type of N-nitroso compound (nitrosylated-haem in this case) which is cancer-causing. Vegetables don’t tend to come with such compounds, but actually come with compounds which inhibit the development of harmful nitrite-based compounds. Most of these are antioxidants. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible for vegetable-derived nitrites to harm you. It’s just far, far less likely. Fried meat that was previously cured is by far the most dangerous source of these cancer-causing compounds. The most well known example is probably bacon.

aszantu 3y ago
could you just use sodium nitrate to salt your food? Like once a week or so? edit: need=use
- steve_adams_86 3y ago
  No, they're quite different from each other. NaCl (Sodium Chloride) functions as a flavour enhancer whereas NaNO3 (Sodium Nitrate) functions to preserve foods (among other non-culinary uses). The concentrations of NaNO3 used for food preservation are far lower (and strictly regulated in much of the world) than we normally use for flavouring foods when using NaCl. The flavour profiles are different, and the limits for consumption are much different as well. Too much of both is dangerous, but too much NaNO3 is arguably easier to reach and more harmful in the short and long term. NaNO3 can lead to immediate issues with hemoglobin production for example. In the longer term, high volumes are carcinogenic. Your primary concern with NaCl is managing safe blood pressure in the longer term, and in the shorter term, it's relatively easy to avoid toxicity or other more minor complications like dehydration.
  - aszantu 3y ago
    Thanks! I think im not getting enough nitrate/nitrite. Im pretty allergic to plants so i wondered about this
    - steve_adams_86 3y ago
      Ah, that’s really interesting. It might be worth talking to a doctor about how to dose that safely. It you consume it without activating foods, I suspect it could be safe. Perhaps that’s a good way to get some into your diet? Similar to a supplement taken on its own, just always without food (meat in particular).
      - aszantu 3y ago
        my doctor is no help, sadly. Just sitting there, no suggestions or anything - I wonder if it's me and I'm too pushy with my own ideas