Natural nitrates are not bad for you and they can offer some health benefits.
Natural nitrates can be found in fruits and vegetables and can help to lower your blood pressure.
The concern with nitrates is when the nitrates are added to processed meats, which can convert into nitrosamines, which is a compound that is linked to an increased risk of cancer.
Natural nitrates are considered okay and healthier and diets that include nitrate rich vegetables have also been associated with a low rate of cancer, including lower risk of stomach cancer.
The nitrates that are in vegetables as well as fruits are not the same nitrates as the ones added to processed meats.
Fruits and vegetables that contain nitrates are also packed with other beneficial nutrients such as fiber and antioxidants.
It's best to limit your intake of processed meats with added nitrates and nitrates but the foods with natural nitrates are safe to consume.
Research has also indicated a link between the repeated exposure to nitrosamines from processed meats and an increased risk of certain cancers, and most particularly colon cancer.
The nitrates in vegetables don't easily convert to nitrosamine like the nitrates in processed meats do.
In the processed meats the nitrates easily convert to and form nitrosamines in the stomach.
Natural nitrates though are linked to potential health benefits, and added nitrates are associated with health risks.