Another reason to cut out processed foods.

smuehlbauer

Here is an article that I thought that I would share.
I know everything causes cancer these days - but I also think that it's important to know what you're eating.
http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/2007/12/processed-meats-declared-too-dangerous-for-human-consumption/

trisha329

Very interesting, but I notice that the article was written in 2007. Doesn't seem like too much of a fuss was made about this at the time, that I can remember, yet it seems like it should have been!

I have been really trying to avoid eating as much processed foods as I can, purely because of the sodium -- now this is yet another reason to avoid them altogether!

jrich1

To me its pretty much a scare tactic, saying dont eat anything..

WalkingGirl1985

Chicken can have a lot of sodium too..so does turkey.

smuehlbauer

Chicken can have a lot of sodium too..so does turkey.

Yes, processed deli chicken and turkey - it all does.

WalkingGirl1985

What do you reccomend? I never done this before..I don't want to cut it out completly, but i have been wanting to reduce my sodium count.

jrich1

Interesting point I found on the topic - before you all run for the hills to the vegan organic way of life..

"Sodium nitrite is produced in the human body by the action of saliva on sodium nitrate, and is important in controlling bacteria in the stomach, to prevent gastroenteritis. The body produces more sodium nitrite than is consumed in food." If sodium nitrite causes cancer, then why does the human body produce naturally??

jrich1

Chicken can have a lot of sodium too..so does turkey.

Sodium and Sodium Nitrate are not the same thing

carl1738

I checked it out on Wicki and this is what it says:

Health concerns
A principal concern about sodium nitrite is the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines in meats containing sodium nitrite when exposed to high temperatures. Sodium nitrite's usage is carefully regulated in the production of cured products in the United States, as the concentration in finished products is limited to 200 ppm, and is usually lower. About 1970, it was found that ascorbic acid (vitamin C), an antioxidant, inhibits nitrosamine formation.[13] Consequently, the addition of at least 550 ppm of ascorbic acid is required in meats manufactured in the United States. Manufacturers sometimes instead use erythorbic acid, a cheaper but equally effective isomer of ascorbic acid. Additionally, manufacturers may include alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) to further inhibit nitrosamine production. Alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and erythorbic acid all inhibit nitrosamine production by their oxidation-reduction properties. Ascorbic acid, for example, forms dehydroascorbic acid when oxidized, which when in the presence of nitrous anhydride, a potent nitrosating agent formed from sodium nitrate, reduces the nitrous anhydride into the nitric oxide gas.[14] Note that Nitrous Anhydride does not exist[15] in vitro.

Sodium nitrite consumption has also been linked to the triggering migraines in individuals who already suffer from them.[16]

A recent study has found a link between frequent ingestion of cured meats and the COPD form of lung disease. The study's researchers suggest that the high amount of nitrites in the meats was responsible; however, the team did not prove the nitrite theory. Additionally, the study does not prove that nitrites or cured meat caused higher rates of COPD, merely a link. The researchers did adjust for many of COPD's risk factors, but they commented they cannot rule out all possible unmeasurable causes or risks for COPD.[17][18]

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"The cured meat industry made substantial changes to the manufacturing process in the past 20 years to address some of the concerns about nitrite in cured meats. It has stopped using sodium nitrate (except for some specialty meats) in major meat processes and reduced the use of nitrite in the processing of cured meats. Residual levels of nitrite found in nitrite-cured meats have decreased in the past 20 years and now average one-tenth of what the regulations actually allow. The industry also has increased the use of two other substances – ascorbate and erythorbate – in the curing process, which are known to deplete residual nitrite and inhibit the production of N-nitrosamines." [19][dead link]

"There...were a number of studies during the 1970s that linked the consumption of nitrite with cancer in laboratory animals or associated the consumption of cured meats with illnesses in children. As a result of some lingering concerns about nitrite safety, the FDA and the USDA commissioned a comprehensive review of sodium nitrite's role as a food additive. The results were two scientific reports from the National Academy of Sciences (issued in 1981 and 1982). The 1981 report stated that nitrite does not cause cancer, although some population studies have found an association between high exposure to nitrite levels and certain cancers. Also, nitrite does not act directly as a cancer-causing agent in animals. The NAS recommended that both these issues be researched further. The NAS also recommended that people's exposure to both nitrates and nitrites be reduced as much as possible without jeopardizing the protection against botulism." [19][dead link]

"Two important actions in the year 2000 have reinforced the message that the use of sodium nitrite in cured meats is safe and is not associated with cancer risk in humans. The first is a thorough review of the results of sodium nitrite studies by the National Toxicology Program, which undertook the review at the request of the FDA. After carefully considering all the evidence presented, the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors voted unanimously in May 2000 that the evidence showed that sodium nitrite does not cause cancer in male rats, male mice or female rats. While they found "equivocal evidence" in the forestomachs of female mice, the scientists have determined that the finding is not relevant to human health because humans do not have forestomachs. This comprehensive review by NTP shows that sodium nitrite does not cause cancer in laboratory animals, even when they are fed massive doses throughout the animals' lifetime. The second action occurred in the state of California, where a panel of independent expert toxicologists reviewing almost 100 scientific publications about sodium nitrite voted that the evidence does not show that sodium nitrite causes developmental or reproductive toxicity. If found by the DART committee to be harmful, sodium nitrite would have been listed under the state's Proposition 65 law, which was enacted to protect citizens against known cancer-causing agents and reproductive toxicants.[19][dead link]

As of June 2004, the American Medical Association concludes that: "Data are irrefutable that when ingested in high concentrations nitrites can cause methemoglobinemia. Additionally, certain populations such as infants may be particularly vulnerable. However, the human body can tolerate fairly high levels of methemoglobin before toxemia sets in. Thus, there have been no reports of methemoglobinemia caused by nitrites added intentionally to food, although disease caused by contamination of water and food by sodium nitrite has been reported. USDA regulations do not permit nitrites and nitrates in baby, junior, or toddler foods. The scientific evidence is clear that NOCs have carcinogenic effects in animal models. Thus, it must be assumed that at the right concentrations, NOCs are likely to be carcinogenic in humans as well. The primary source of NOCs in the human diet is the nitrosation of secondary amines and amides by nitrites present in food. However, epidemiological studies cannot confirm the link between the presence of nitrites (or nitrates) in food and the formation of NOCs and the causation of human cancer. In fact, studies that suggest a link between nitrites in food and cancer have largely been disputed due to these studies’ inability to exclude confounding factors, such as recall bias. Regardless, the use of nitrites in the preparation and preservation of meats and poultry has been substantially reduced from the time when these studies were first performed. Additionally, the use of erythorbate and/or ascorbate with nitrites has been shown to inhibit the formation of NOCs. Accordingly, given the current FDA and USDA regulations on the use of nitrites, the risk of developing cancer as a result of consumption of nitrites-containing foods is negligible.[20]

This would explain why not much of a fuss was raised about this article when it came out 3 years ago. More scare tactics and propaganda from the Vegan front, in my humble opinion.