Bacon and ham sold in the UK should carry cigarette-style labels warning that chemicals in them cause bowel cancer, scientists say.
Their demand comes as they criticise successive British governments for doing “virtually nothing” to reduce the risk from nitrites in the decade since they were found to definitely cause cancer.
Saturday marks a decade since the World Health Organization in October 2015 declared processed meat declared processed meat to be carcinogenic to humans, putting it in the same category as tobacco and asbestos.
Well I just looked it up. Looks like nitrites are in salad. So its official, salad causes cancer. I fucking knew it. So we are going to put cigarrette style warnings on salad now, right?
Foods High in Nitrates
Nitrates are naturally occurring compounds found in various foods, particularly vegetables. They can also be added to certain processed foods. Here’s a breakdown of foods that contain nitrates:
Natural Sources of Nitrates
The majority of dietary nitrates come from vegetables. Here are some key examples:
VEGETABLE NITRATE CONTENT (PER 100G)
Spinach ~741 mg
Lettuce Varies, generally high
Beets Varies, generally high
Celery Varies, generally high
Carrots Varies, generally high
Cabbage Varies, generally high
Radishes Varies, generally high
Processed Foods with Added Nitrates
Certain processed meats have nitrates added for preservation and flavor. Common examples include:
Bacon
Hot dogs
Salami
Sausages
Deli meats (e.g., ham, bologna)
Not really. Veggies do contain nitrates, but that’s not the same as the nitrites used in processed meat. In vegetables, nitrates come with antioxidants like vitamin C and polyphenols that prevent the formation of nitrosamines (the actual carcinogenic compounds). In bacon or cured meat, the combination of nitrites, proteins, and heat can create nitrosamines. Veggie nitrates are generally linked to better cardiovascular health, not cancer.
First search result on Nitrates: