Nitrates = Not Nutrition

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Eating cured meats containing nitrates may also double your risk for lung disease. Researchers in a Columbia University Medical Center study found that those eating cured meats containing nitrate more than 14 times a month nearly doubled their risk of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), including bronchitis and emphysema. than those who did not. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the US.

Study author, David C. Park states that “The nitrate reacts with the lung tissues, cracking elastin and stiffening collagen, causing the lungs to age”.

Children are particularly at risk with dangerous nitrite levels. These compounds have been found to be associated with cancers of the stomach, brain, bladder, and leukemia. One study cites that children who eat more than 12 hot dogs per month have almost 10x the likelihood of developing childhood leukemia.

To be on the safe side,e people should opt for nitrate free meats that do not include sodium nitrate or potassium nitrates. When consuming foods containing nitrates, drink orange juice or something which contains Vitamin C, as it limits the nitrates from converting to nitrite in your stomach.

Read the whole article at Nutrition-To-Wellness