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Sodium Nitrite and Nitrates are among one of the most carcinogenic chemicals you can ingest into your body. At high doses they can cause serious harm in children even more than adults and have been thought to increase the risk of numerous types of cancers from stomach, colon to brain cancers. Nitrites deprive your body of oxygen when you consume them, and lets face it are often found only in processed food which is bad for you anyway.
Deli meats and hot dogs are the number one sources of Sodium Nitrites, but you will find them in almost any prepackaged food item that you can pick up in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. In my opinion it is imperative to support the company’s and brands that make products that do not contain Nitrates or Nitrites. Hormel and Oscar Meyer both make some (though very small) Nitrite free Deli Meats, you can find a much wider selection on online stores like Applegate Farms. I haven’t tried Applegate Farms deli meats yet, but they are one of the only places I have seen that have Nitrite free pepperoni and genoa salami. Most other companies only have Nitrite free Turkey or Chicken.
As a general rule of thumb you should try to eat as few processed foods as possible, and remember that as parents you are completely responsible for the health and nutrition of your children. If you can find Nitrite free alternatives to the foods, then you should buy those products instead.
-Justin Germino
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