A record content of nitrates in vegetables this year found a study by “Telegraph”.
A toxicologist listed the dangerous vegetables and told how to avoid nitrates
Of 16 products tested, only four were free of nitrates, the study, conducted by Dr. Sergey Ivanov of the Center for Food Biology, showed. Peak contamination values were reported for spinach, zucchini and radishes. Salads, onions, garlic, iceberg lettuce and cucumbers were also included in the study.
The salad bought from the exchange in Sofia is the safest. Also low in nitrates are fresh onions from the fruit and vegetable, and cucumber from the grocery store.
In the case of salads, however, with additional treatment such as soaking in water with lemon or vinegar, the harmful effects can be significantly reduced, Ivanov explained. He pointed out that the tested spinach is not at all recommended to be consumed fresh, since the nitrate content is many times higher than the norm and it is mandatory to be thermally processed.
Iceberg lettuce is also dangerous this year, which also colors the test strip for nitrates in dark purple, which is an indicator of elevated values above the norm. The onion, which turns out to have a relatively low nitrate content, is, however, infected with pathogens, commented Dr. Ivanov. This can be easily detected by the leaves of the vegetable, which show small brownish spots.
There is a European regulation on the permissible amounts of nitrates in vegetables. According to him, in greenhouse production, they should not exceed 4000 milligrams per kilogram. For iceberg lettuce, the threshold is 2,500 milligrams per kilogram, and for spinach, 3,500 milligrams per kilogram.
These values are valid from April 1. According to the WHO, the harmless amount of nitrates for an adult is 5 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, and the permissible amount per day is up to 500 mg.
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It is good when choosing salads to avoid those with rotten areas at the base, as well as withered leaves, said Dr. Sergey Ivanov. This is an indicator that the vegetable has been in storage for a long time, which is a prerequisite for the development of bacteria that can cause serious health complications.
When choosing vegetables for the table, it is better to pay more than to compromise on quality.
Test strips for determining the presence of nitrates in vegetables and fruits are freely sold online and in agro-pharmacies. On the bottle in which the strips are, there is a template with the colors and the approximate amount of nitrate content according to the color.
To determine whether a vegetable contains nitrates, a drop of juice should be squeezed onto marked areas of the strip. There are also special devices for testing vegetables, and after placing the sample needle on a monitor, the amount of contamination is written. Its price is BGN 240, but it is also sold in installments, with the monthly installment being BGN 12.
What are nitrates?
Nitrates are salts of nitric acid. They are usually white or colorless powdery, crystalline substances that dissolve well in water, according to the Ministry of Health. Nitrates are widely used in many industries:
In agriculture as highly effective fertilizers
In the food industry as colorants and preservatives
In the industry for the production of paints, medicines, plastics, glass, etc.
As independent substances, nitrates are not dangerous for health, but once they get into the human body, in the process of metabolism, nitrites and nitrosamines are produced, which already pose a risk to the health of consumers.
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How are they accepted in the human body?
Nitrates enter the human body through water and food.
The main sources of nitrate pollution are the excessive or incorrect use of organic and mineral fertilizers in agriculture, wastewater from households, animal husbandry and from enterprises for the production of fertilizers, medicines, plastics, etc., the Ministry of Health adds.
Which foods have the most?
Vegetables and canned meats/sausages and smoked meats are richest in nitrates. Their content is much less in dairy products and fish. Some plants have the ability to accumulate more nitrates.
These are the vegetables – lettuce, fresh garlic, green onions, spinach, beetroot, etc. They can be dangerous to human health if consumed in large quantities.
Are nitrates harmful?
They are not toxic by themselves. As already noted, substances formed during their metabolism – nitrites and nitrosamines – pose a health risk. Nitrites bind to hemoglobin in the blood, resulting in a compound called methemoglobin.
It prevents the transfer of oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs, and a condition known as methemoglobinemia develops, characterized by bluing of the skin.
Nitrates are most dangerous when they are converted to nitrites before they are absorbed into the body. This can happen during improper storage of food products or during cooking, especially when frying.
With reduced acidity of the gastric juice, nitrites can turn into nitrosamines, which have a carcinogenic effect. When large amounts of nitrates enter the body, after 4 to 6 hours nausea, shortness of breath, diarrhea, blue skin and visible mucous membranes appear. At the same time, general weakness, dizziness, sometimes seizures, headache and palpitations are felt.
The long-term use of foods and water with a high nitrate content leads to allergy, impaired thyroid function, damage to the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, according to the Ministry of Health.
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Who are the risk groups?
The most vulnerable to the harmful effects of nitrates are infants up to three months of age, pregnant women, small children with digestive disorders and persons who have undergone major operations on the gastrointestinal tract.
According to the WHO, the harmless amount of nitrates for an adult is 5 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, and the permissible daily amount is up to 500 mg. When larger quantities than this permissible dose enter the human body, they already represent a potential health hazard.
How to limit the intake of nitrates in the body?
There are a few simple mechanisms for reducing nitrates that consumers should be aware of and implement in their daily lives:
Thorough washing and soaking of vegetables in water
Removal of the “most nitrate” parts of plants – cobs and outer leaves of cabbage, peels and tails of cucumbers and zucchini
Consuming only well-ripened fruits and vegetables
When boiling vegetables, pour out the boiling water while it is still hot
Buying and consuming medium-sized vegetables
Consumption of vegetable salads with lemon, as it contains a lot of vitamin C, preventing the formation of nitrites and nitrosamines
Avoid reheating soups and dishes
To limit the consumption of sausages and smoked meats./ zdrave.to
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