I will get packaged meats from Whole Paycheck since they don't have preservatives or "pink salt". I've read too many pieces on all the detrimental affects of consuming nitrites, nitrates, and all the other fat and flavor preservatives that cannot be pronounced by anyone but an Oscar Mayer chemist. Of course, that still doesn't account for all the carcinogens in smoked meat, but I can't seem to live without smoked meats.
When I want some pork accent in a meal, I keep a frozen slab of bacon in the freezer and slice off the end of it. To be honest, I can't tell one iota of flavor difference between cured and uncured bacon.
Ok, I can't leave that unanswered, sorry man!
First of all, I’m sure you are already aware, Nitrates and Nitrites are not the enemy, Nitrosamines are. They are typically produced when Nitrates and Nitrites are exposed to heat, stomach acid, or any host of enzymes. Those tasty little grill marks are full of Nitrosamines!
Many people have taken up a reduction or perceived elimination of Nitrate and Nitrite from their diet for what they believe are healthy alternatives. Many experience positive results from this change in diet, but most of the time the reduction in Nitrate and Nitrite have little to do with it, or in the case of vegetarians, actually the opposite effect. You will see healthy benefits anytime you move from a standard American diet to one with lower sodium.
While Nitrosamines have not been proven to cause any health problems, they are considered a carcinogen, and have been for decades. About 40 years ago, the FDA learned that by adding a very small amount of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) to meat cures would inhibit the formation of most of the Nitrosamines in cooking. The result was legislation that requires the meat industry to add vitamins C and E to all Nitrate cures. So as it stands today, food treated with commercial “pink salt” actually produces less Nitrosamine than food treated with Sea Salt or Celery Salt (very high in natural Nitrates). What this means is that you probably get more Nitrosamine from your “uncured” bacon than you do from good old Oscar Myer, unless the label specifically states that Ascorbic acid is added.
The Health food industry uses this lack of understanding to their advantage by advertising “uncured” meats as healthy. They are neither “uncured” or healthier.
The FDA requires that all preserved meat either be cured with an accepted commercial cure, or an accepted “natural” cure. Either way, the nitrate must be present at the same level to stop the growth of Clostridium Botulinum. That’s the little critter that excretes Botulism toxin and still kills thousands of people around the world every year. So, what does the “uncured” industry use? Celery salt, sea salt, and radish extract. . .all of these contain high levels of Nitrate and Nitrite.
Here is your obstacle if you want to reduce Nitrates and Nitrites from your diet. You will be relegated to eating cabbage, corn, and tomatoes. You will also want to stay away from drinking tap water and cooking anything. You would want to eat only light colored vegetables and fruit (except for bananas), and you would probably die very soon.
Why?
Nitrates and Nitrites are naturally occurring compounds that are created when plants break down nitrogen during photosynthesis. We boost the amount of Nitrates in our veggies by using commercial or natural high Nitrogen fertilizers in conventional and organic farming. The healthier the crop, the more Nitrate and Nitrite.
Even if you are a big preserved meat eater like myself, only a very small amount of Nitrates and the resulting Nitrosamines come from meat (about 5% - 10% on average). The majority comes from fresh green vegetables.
Michigan State University says the average American consumes 75 to 100mg of nitrates per day. About 80 to 90 percent of it comes from vegetables. This is amazing when you consider the fact that most Americans eat very few vegetables!
So what about vegetarians? The study also shows that vegetarians can consume up to 250mg of nitrates per day. That’s about 2 – 3 times what the FDA reccomends.
Cardiologists in many cases have to warn patients considering a vegetarian diet about the increase in Nitrate intake, as that it causes a drop in blood pressure associated with the production of Nitric Oxide in the blood. Patients that suffer from lung disease or easily become hypoxic, can exacerbate their symptoms by going veggie. The increase in Nitrate also causes the “Viagra effect” if you know what I mean.
Many vegetarians toute the fact that by eliminating meat from their diet they have been able to lower their blood pressure, and feel better. This is not from the elimination of meat from the diet, it is from the increase in Nitrate and Nitrite intake, and the decrease in total sodium.
Many people have come to understand the relationship between plants, nitrates, and diet, so the health food industry has started to downplay the role of Nitrates in general, and focus on the role of “heavy metal content” in commercial meat cures. Unfortunately this is another red herring, because again we take in far more arsenic, lead, selenium, and even radioactive Strontium and Cesium in our veggies and grains than in our cured meats.
The healthiest diet is one that you don’t have to worry about. Eat like a cave-man, stay away from processed carbohydrates and sugars. Whole grains are better than milled products because your body absorbs less. If you are fat, eat less, and replace carbohydrate with lean protein and vegetables.
If you realize a health benefit from eliminating cured meats from your diet, be aware that it is not the reduction in nitrate, but most likely the reduction in sodium. If you are replacing meats with vegetables, you are likely increasing your Nitrate/Nitrite intake significantly. If you are encountering more “Cialis” moments, it is most likely because you are increasing your Nitrate and Nitrite intake by eating more healthy veggies, and less total salt.
There is no research to indicate that anyone has gotten cancer or died from natural or commercial meat cures, however millions have died from their absence, and continue to die every year from improper preservation of food.
I'm not a bit Nitrate/Nitrite in meat fan because people use it to cheat the smoking process in BBQ competitions, and in restaurants to make a sub-par product look better. Otherwise I'm fine with a Oscar Myer ham sandwich.
