Wellness Nutrition Vitamins and Supplements Is Sodium Nitrate Safe? By Kirstyn Hill, PharmD, MPH Kirstyn Hill, PharmD, MPH Kirstyn Hill has worked as a clinical pediatric and women’s health pharmacist since 2020. She was driven to work with a patient population that is not often able to easily speak up for themselves and require unique approaches to medical counseling and understanding of their health conditions. Kirstyn is also a healthcare writer; she is passionate about closing education gaps between healthcare and the community. health's editorial guidelines Published on July 27, 2024 Medically reviewed by Elizabeth Barnes, RDN Medically reviewed by Elizabeth Barnes, RDN Elizabeth Barnes, MS, RDN, LDN, is a dietitian with a focus on treating clients with eating disorders and disordered eating to help them to mend their relationship with food and their bodies. learn more In This Article View All In This Article How It's Used Potential Benefits Safety Food Debate Tips for Reducing Intake Close Inverse Couple Images / Getty Images Sodium nitrate is a compound found in the body, water, and certain foods. It's also a food preservative commonly used in packaged meats. The compound helps keep the meat from spoiling and gives it its pink or red color. While some studies have found that sodium nitrate may help with blood pressure, other research has shown it may lead to numerous cancers. How and Why Sodium Nitrate Is Used Nitrates and nitrites are compounds that naturally occur in the body, water, soil, and some foods. Nitrates and nitrites are also used as preservatives for certain types of food. Sodium nitrate is a nitrate salt commonly used as a preservative in processed meats. This preservative helps cure the meat, which prevents bacteria from growing and delays the meat from spoiling. Sodium nitrate also gives these meats their pinkish-red color and savory or salty taste. One of the main organisms sodium nitrate helps prevent is Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria known to cause food poisoning and botulism. Botulism is a fatal infection that can cause breathing problems and muscle paralysis if not properly treated. Examples of processed meats that may contain sodium nitrate include: Bacon Beef jerky Ham Hot dogs Lunch meats Salami Sausage Potential Health Benefits of Sodium Nitrate Certain nitrates and nitrites are useful to the body when ingested at normal levels. For example, nitrite is converted to nitric oxide, which helps regulate blood pressure, wound healing, and neurological (brain and nervous system) processes in the body. One study on people with peripheral artery disease (a condition in which blood vessels narrow, limiting blood flow) found that the participants experienced improvements in blood pressure after supplementing with 1 gram (g) of sodium nitrate daily for eight weeks. Other studies have also found that consuming dietary sodium nitrate can help with physical performance and exercise. Nitrates may increase cellular energy by helping your mitochondria (the energy source in cells) work more efficiently. Sodium nitrate may also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the body during exercise. Safety Considerations While sodium nitrate may have some potentially beneficial health effects, other research shows the compound could also harm health. Extremely high levels of nitrates and nitrites have been shown to cause cancers. Once nitrate or nitrite enters the body, the acidity of the stomach converts the compound to nitrosamine, a product that can increase cancer risks. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IRAC) has reported that nitrite consumption through processed meats can lead to colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon or rectum). Other studies have found that people with high consumption of nitrates and nitrites have a higher risk for breast cancer and prostate cancer, respectively. However, other studies have shown there is a low risk of cancer caused by nitrate and nitrite. People with long-term consumption of red meat, especially processed meats, have been shown to have higher rates of death, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. More research is needed to determine the full health effects of nitrite and nitrate consumption. Following the established daily intake limits for nitrites and nitrates can help you avoid these concerns. Health organizations recommend an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0.07 milligrams (mg) of nitrite per kilogram (kg) of body weight for children and adults. They also recommend an ADI of 3.7 mg/kg of nitrate for children and adults. How Much Is Too Much? In humans, dangerous and fatal oral dosages (taken by mouth) of nitrite range from 33-250 mg/kg of body weight. For nitrate, fatal dosages range from 80-800 mg/kg of body weight. The amount of nitrite allowed to be added to processed meat is 150 mg/kg of weight, while sterilized meat products have a limit of 100 mg/kg. The limit for sodium nitrate added to uncooked meat is 150 mg/kg. Debate Over Sodium Nitrates in Food Due to the potential health risks caused by nitrates and nitrites, such as cancer, many experts debate whether these preservatives should be included in food. Because of these concerns, there have been requests for an increase in the production of meat products that have little to none of the preservatives. However, nitrates and nitrites also offer potential health benefits by improving nitric oxide production in the body. Most people consume 1.2-3 mg of nitrite daily, and about 50% of nitrite exposure comes from vegetables. To take advantage of the benefits of sodium nitrate while limiting the risks, consider finding natural, more nutritious foods that offer high concentrations of the compound. Examples of natural foods with high levels of nitrites and nitrates include: Beets Carrots Celery Lettuce Raw spinach Tips for Reducing Sodium Nitrate Intake Limiting the amount of processed meats you eat is the best way to reduce your sodium nitrate intake. Swapping processed meats out for leaner, unprocessed meats like chicken or pork can help you reduce your salt and saturated fat intake while still getting nutrients like protein and iron. You can also try plant-based protein alternatives like tofu or legumes. Check the ingredients of the meats you purchase to see if they use sodium nitrate or any other type of nitrates or nitrites in their meat preservation. Many meat manufacturers also use other preservatives, such as plant-based alternatives, instead of nitrites and nitrates. However, these meats may not last as long as those with nitrates or nitrites. A Quick Review Sodium nitrate is a compound in the body, water, and certain foods. It's also a preservative commonly used in packaged meats, such as deli meat, jerky, and hot dogs. While some studies have found that sodium nitrate may help with blood pressure, others have found that it may lead to numerous cancers. You can reduce your intake of sodium nitrate by swapping processed meats for fresh, unprocessed meat like chicken or plant-based alternatives like tofu. Some vegetables, such as beets, carrots, and celery, may also offer a healthier source of sodium nitrate. Talk with your healthcare provider if you want to know more about sodium nitrate and how it affects your health. Edited by Hannah Harper Hannah Harper Hannah Harper is a wellness editor for Health. Previously, she was an associate editor, assistant editor, and editorial assistant for Health. She covers topics on nutrition, women's health, and more. learn more Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit 9 Sources Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Shakil MH, Trisha AT, Rahman M, et al. Nitrites in cured meats, health risk issues, alternatives to nitrites: a review. Foods. 2022;11(21):3355. doi:10.3390/foods11213355 Hughes WE, Treichler DP, Ueda K, Bock JM, Casey DP. 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