As if you don't have enough to worry about, should you also consider that your drinking water contains nitrates? You may have seen claims for nitrate-free water and wondered if this is something to ponder. In short, don't panic, your drinking water is probably safe.
Unless you are drinking certain types of water that are not safe, which is never recommended, there is no reason to worry.
What are nitrates and nitrites?
Both nitrates and nitrites are found in soil, water, and plants. Having a clear understanding of nitrates and nitrites is key to making decisions about your nutritional health.
Nitrates are consumed primarily through diet. In fact, vegetables are the largest source of nitrates in the diet, accounting for 80 to 90 percent of all nitrates we eat, according to an extensive October 2018 review in Aging and Disease. The rest comes from drinking water and food of animal origin.
Nitrates are converted to nitrites in the body and the process forms nitric oxide; this is good. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator that helps blood flow better. This is great news for those trying to improve their blood pressure. So the natural conversion of nitrate to nitrite in the body is a healthy process.
Much of the controversy surrounding nitrites is their use as a preservative for cured and processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs and cold cuts, and this is often in the form of sodium nitrite.
Although one of the end products of nitrate to nitrite is nitric oxide, another end product could be a substance called nitrosamine, which could be harmful. Unfortunately, you have no idea whether your body will produce nitrosamines, which can make it difficult to control your health.
According to a review from October 2018, there could be a link between inflammation and unhealthy bacteria in the gut and the formation of nitrosamines. This means that eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, such as vegetables, fruits, olive oil, and nuts and seeds is beneficial in keeping inflammation under control.
What is the problem with nitrates in water?
The answer to the question of whether there are nitrates in drinking water is yes. But the amount in public water systems (like your sink tap water) or even bottled water is strictly measured and regulated.
While some bottled water companies use nitrate-free content as a marketing tool, other bottled water companies do, in fact, have very low nitrate levels in their water, and typically undetectable nitrite levels. If you have a favorite bottle of water, look up their annual analysis report.
Distilled or mineral reduced water generally has lower levels of nitrate than regular mineral or spring water.
But where does nitrate come from? Some is found in the soil naturally, but levels have increased in the last 100 years mainly due to the use of inorganic fertilizers.
In babies, who have less acidic stomachs than adults, ingested nitrate, when broken down to nitrite, can bind to hemoglobin and reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Bottle-fed babies younger than six months have the highest risk of getting methemoglobinemia .
Is it dangerous to take nitrates in water?
The science on low amounts of nitrates in drinking water is not conclusive.
High levels of nitrate in drinking water can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to a July 2018 review in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. So if you think your drinking water may have high nitrate levels, talk to your doctor or switch to bottled water.
The National Cancer Institute indicates that there may be an increased risk of colon, kidney or stomach cancer with a high intake of nitrate from drinking water and meat consumption, compared to those who had a low intake of both.
Still, don't let it scare you. Most studies have been conducted in animals and human studies show results that are generally inconsistent with all the health outcomes associated with high nitrate levels.
