I’ve been down this rabbit hole fairly far at one time just for my own knowledge. There are studies that show nitrosamines (from nitrites) can increase cancer risk in lab animals, but nothing conclusive in humans. Sure there are studies that can be found that “link” nitrites and nitrosamines to gastrointestinal cancer in people, but again, none are conclusive.
In my research this all appears to start in the 1970’s with all of the other food scares. We were told then that processed meats such as Spam, Potted meat, lunchen meats, ham, bacon, deviled ham, etc……. Would kill us because of high salt and nitrites.
We were also told that eating beef would raise our cholesterol and kill us, they tried to destroy the beef industry. As a farm kid at the time I remember this being particularly brutal on the beef market.
Then they told us that eggs would kill us because of the cholesterol. This was a time of food wars, industries scrambling for market share. Do a “study “ and put information out to the public that your largest competitor has a product that will eventually kill you seems the typical game plan To promote your own product over others then. Funny how stuff resonates for decades.
The arguments over nitrate/nitrites is moot in my opinion, and here is why.
1) They claim nitrates in vegetables some how doesn’t count because these are “ natural” nitrates, and that nitrate is perfectly harmless. It’s the evil synthetic nitrite that is the problem. Research that for yourself.
2) Pretty much all nitrate/nitrites consumed in the food chain generally comes from farmers and producers applying fertilizer (nitrogen) to the soil. Most all of this nitrogen is man made or synthetic.
3) Almost all nitrogen based fertilizer today are in the same life circle. Even bat guano is produced from bats eating bugs that consume farm fertilizer. And manure from livestock comes from animals eating feed stuff fertilized on farm with the same nitrogen.
4) There really is no chemical or building block difference in curing salt nitrate/nitrite with that in celery, Kahle, spinach or beets. It all comes from the same source.
If we drink beet juice or eat bacon cured with celery powder, we are consuming the exact same nitrates As is in curing salts.
Eating a pinch of raw sausage batter is really no different than eating raw spinach or Kahle, chemically it’s not different. So eat your fruits and green leafy vegetables ladies and gentlemen but pass on sausage. Oh and no beer consumption that’s high in bad nitrates also.
Cajuneric
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