A List of Vegetables High in Nitrates

Forward from The Plain Truth: This week we are going to be doing some stories on Sodium Nitrate and Nitrites, the ingredients in many of our foods that have come under fire from the health conscious and many people. We have a drive underway to stop consuming Nitrates and Nitrites in our diet. Are we really informed? Do you really know what Sodium Nitrate is? Is it a man made products, only a part of processed foods and cured meats? Have they been wrongfully accused of causing everything from headaches to high blood pressure. Just what are sodium Nitrates.


A List of Vegetables High in Nitrates
By Kent Ninomiya

Nitrates are created in vegetables when micro-organisms break down fertilizers and other nutrients in the soil. Nitrates occur naturally in vegetables in small amounts. Adding fertilizer to vegetables increases their nitrate levels. 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. According to Colorado State University, a diet too high in nitrates can lead to gastric problems. Selecting the right vegetables can help reduce your nitrate levels.

Radishes

According to the University of Missouri, radishes contain more nitrates than any other vegetable. Typical radishes that you buy at the grocery store contain approximately 0.4 to 1.5 percent nitrates. That is 1.8 to 6.8g of nitrates per pound of radishes. This is significantly more than the 0.1g of nitrates the typical American consumes each day.

Find about more about this. How about BEETS, LETTUCE and TURNIPS!

Read the rest of the list

List of Foods That Have Sodium Nitrate