Healthy heart or cancer risk? Meet the Jekyll and Hyde of nutrition — ScienceDaily

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Nitrate has long been viewed with a grain of salt, as previous research shows it might be linked to causing cancer.

However, subsequent research has revealed that dietary nitrate also has several benefits for cardiovascular health, which could help reduce the risk of related conditions such as heart disease, dementia, and diabetes.

So how can a dietary compound have such contrasting potential risks and benefits?

The Edith Cowan University (ECU) Health and Nutrition Innovation Research Institute hopes to discover how and why nitrate presents such contrasting potential risks and benefits.

all about the source

Dr. Catherine Bondonno led a review of the research on nitrates and says the key may lie in where they come from.

“We get nitrate from three main dietary sources: meat, water and vegetables,” he said.

“Nitrate’s reputation as a health threat dates back to the 1970s, when two studies showed that it can form N-nitrosamines, which are highly carcinogenic in laboratory animals.

“However, no studies in humans have confirmed its potential dangers, and our clinical and observational studies support that nitrate prevents cardiovascular disease when sourced from vegetables.

“So the review sought to unpack all of that, to identify new ways forward and ways that we can solve this puzzle, because it’s really time to address it: 50 years have passed.”

urgency required

Despite recent research indicating that the source of nitrate may affect its health benefits and risks, current nitrate-related dietary guidelines have been in place since the 1970s and do not differentiate between nitrate in meat, vegetables And the water.

Dr. Bondonno said that although animal studies from the 1970s reported a small incidence of malignancies, there was evidence that not all nitrates deserve to be “tarred with the same brush.”

“For example, unlike meat and water-derived nitrate, nitrate-rich vegetables contain high levels of vitamin C and/or polyphenols that may inhibit the formation of these harmful north-nitrosamines associated with cancer,” he said.

Dr. Bondonno said more research was vital in order to update the guidelines.

“The public is unlikely to listen to messages to increase their intake of nitrate-rich vegetables if they are concerned about a link between nitrate intake and cancer.”

However, he stressed that while the official guidelines had not changed, the apparent benefits of nitrate had put many people at risk.

“We need to be sure that nitrate-rich vegetables don’t actually have an increased risk of cancer if we eat more of them,” he said.

“High-dose nitrate supplements are already used to enhance physical performance in sport, while plant nitrate extracts are added to cured meat products with a ‘clean label’ claim, claiming to be better for you.

“So we really need to get this right.”

What do we eat then?

Given the division of experts in the field, Dr. Bondonno said it’s understandable that people get confused about whether nitrate is good or bad for them.

“They’re probably thinking, ‘If I can’t have a salad, what CAN I have?'” she said.

Despite the debate, he said current evidence suggests people should aim to get their nitrate from vegetables, but there was no need to exaggerate.

“Dark green leafy vegetables and beets are good sources; our research shows that one cup raw or one-half cup cooked per day is enough to have cardiovascular health benefits,” he said.

“We know that processed meat is not good for us and we should limit our intake, but we don’t know if it is the nitrate that is causing the problem or something else.

“It just further emphasizes the need for dietary nitrate research to clarify the message for people.

“The possible link to cancer was raised 50 years ago, now is the time for an in-depth analysis to distinguish fact from fiction.”