Examine.com 4 superfoods you should be eating

[MachineGhost]

I'm pretty sure nitrates convert to nitrosamines and nitrites in the body, not just from high heat cooking.

[Benko]

I'm pretty sure nitrates convert to nitrosamines and nitrites in the body, not just from high heat cooking.

I believe vit c inhibits conversion

Int J Vitam Nutr Res Suppl. 1989;30:109-13.
Preventive action of vitamin C on nitrosamine formation.
Tannenbaum SR.
Abstract

N-Nitroso compounds are known to form endogenously in the human stomach from the precursors nitrite as well as secondary and tertiary amines. Ascorbic acid has been found to be an effective blocking agent for this process of formation of carcinogenic substances, both in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism by which ascorbic acid reacts is chemical in nature and results in the formation of NO and dehydroascorbic acid. Since NO can be recycled in the presence of O2 to form [NO]x, which is capable of additional nitrosation, greater than stoichrometric amounts of ascorbate are required for effective inhibition in vivo. The efficacy of ascorbic acid for inhibition of nitrosamine formation in humans has been demonstrated both clinically and epidemiologically through the use of "Nitrosoproline Test"--of Ohshima and Bartsch.

PMID:
    2507690
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Mark Leavy]

I'm pretty sure nitrates convert to nitrosamines and nitrites in the body, not just from high heat cooking.

What's your opinion of celery and other "healthy" greens?  (n.b. look for "dehydrated celery juice" on your "organic" hot dogs or "nitrate free" bacon).

Personally I don't touch that stuff.  Give me a nice slab of pâté any day.  Or a big ol chunk of liverwurst.

[madbean]

My dad died at the age of 94 last year so perhaps he can shed some anecdotal evidence on what foods are "super" based on his longevity. His favorite dinner was fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy. For breakfast he liked fried eggs, bacon, and toast which he had nearly every morning as long as I can recall.

Garlic, spirulina, say what? I doubt he ever tasted the latter at all and if he had any of the former I can't recall it.

[MachineGhost]

I believe vit c inhibits conversion

I've tried Vitamin C (along with NAC) several times.  Doesn't work.  So either nitrates are themselves inflammatory or it doesn't completely work to stop conversion to nitrosamines in the stomach.  Or maybe the nitrates are converted elsewhere than just in the stomach.

[MachineGhost]

What's your opinion of celery and other "healthy" greens?  (n.b. look for "dehydrated celery juice" on your "organic" hot dogs or "nitrate free" bacon).

Can be and usually is higher in nitrates than using the actual chemical.  I can't even eat a stalk of raw celery anymore due to the natural nitrates.

[MachineGhost]

Genetics are perhaps more powerful than environment in some cases. There are plenty of anecdotes like this, but they are not controlled studies, and should not be taken as advice for the masses with less favorable gene pools.

What usually happens in people like that is they won the genetic lottery in terms of numerous detox genes being strongly or stuck turned on (and it can't be epigenetic because of their suboptimal diet and lifestyle).  You can duplicate the effect yourself with certain supplements.  One that immediately comes to mind is broccoli sprout powder.

[Benko]

I believe vit c inhibits conversion

I've tried Vitamin C (along with NAC) several times.  Doesn't work. So either nitrates are themselves inflammatory or it doesn't completely work to stop conversion to nitrosamines in the stomach.  Or maybe the nitrates are converted elsewhere than just in the stomach.

Please tell me how you determined whether a chemical reaction is or is not happening in your stomach.

[MachineGhost]

Please tell me how you determined whether a chemical reaction is or is not happening in your stomach.

Quite being nitpicky.  Vitamin C & NAC doesn't alleviate the inflammatory end-effects of nitrates, nitrosamines, nitrites, what have you.  Even though "they" said it will.

[Benko]

Please tell me how you determined whether a chemical reaction is or is not happening in your stomach.

Quite being nitpicky.  Vitamin C & NAC doesn't alleviate the inflammatory end-effects of nitrates, nitrosamines, nitrites, what have you.  Even though "they" said it will.

The only comment I made was that Vit c prevents formation of cancer causing substance.

Overall effects of nitrates are another matter.

[WiseOne]

Braunschweiger is pork liver sausage. If you are horrified by the processing involved in producing soy protein isolate, you would vomit over the production of any sausage.

And if that's the case, I can only imagine the reaction to haggis.

Every culture has ways of using the innards, except us.  It's partly about frugality, but also because organ meats are just plain more nutritious than muscle meats are.  Lots of good stuff in there.  If you're worried about toxins in liver, buy organic which is what I do...but be aware that the liver doesn't store toxins, it metabolizes them.