Reply #6: Not only that, but the jury has been in on nitrate preservatives for years [View All]

and it's been long known that they're at least carcinogenic, at least when processed foods are subjected to high temperatures.

If they also raise rates for heart disease, it's not wholly unexpected, although that rise is more likely due to the overall sodium load from both added salt plus sodium nitrate preservatives. Processed meats are generally very high in both.

Still, nitrates are a natural part of our diets and are present in a lot of the foods we eat, including fruits and vegetables.

In any case, sodium nitrate is a hell of a lot less damaging than the clostridium botulinum it kills.

The key is eating a widely varied diet instead of that bacon for breakfast, bologna for lunch, and salami pizza for supper.