New research is raising eyebrows about something many of us consume every day: nitrates.
Found naturally in vegetables and used in processed foods and even in tap water, these minerals are essential for many bodily functions.
However, scientists are now linking certain sources of nitrates with an increased risk of dementia, a degenerative brain condition affecting millions.
What Are Nitrates and Where Do They Come From?
Nitrates are naturally present in a variety of vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, and beetroot.
They play a key role in helping the body regulate blood pressure, move oxygen through cells, support a healthy immune system, and maintain gut health.
But nitrates also make their way into tap water.
This happens when nitrate-rich fertilisers used in farming seep into soil and groundwater, eventually reaching reservoirs.
Additionally, processed meats such as bacon and ham are often treated with nitrates to preserve them.
The Study Linking Nitrates to Dementia
Researchers from Edith Cowan University in Australia and the Danish Cancer Research Institute have conducted a long-term study involving nearly 55,000 Danish adults who did not have dementia at the start.
Over nearly 27 years, they examined how different sources of nitrates – from vegetables, processed meats, and water – affected the risk of developing early-onset dementia.
The findings were eye-opening. People who consumed nitrates primarily from vegetables had a lower risk of dementia, while those who got most of their nitrates from processed foods or drinking water faced a higher risk.
Vegetables vs. Processed Foods
ECU Associate Professor Catherine Bondonno explained that the key difference lies in antioxidants.
Vegetables not only provide nitrates but also vitamins and antioxidants, which help form nitric oxide – a beneficial compound – and prevent harmful N-nitrosamines, which can damage the brain.
On the other hand, processed meats and animal products lack these antioxidants.
Meats contain compounds like heme iron, which may actually encourage the formation of N-nitrosamines, potentially harming brain health.
Drinking Water and Dementia Risk
This study is the first to suggest that nitrates in drinking water could be linked to dementia.
Even water with nitrate levels below current European and UK regulatory limits (50 mg/L) showed increased risks when nitrate levels were as low as 5 mg/L.
Dr Bondonno stressed that these findings do not mean people should stop drinking water.
Instead, it points to the need for further research and possibly re-evaluating safety limits.
Water, unlike vegetables, lacks protective antioxidants, meaning nitrates in water might form harmful compounds in the body over time.
Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress
A closer look at how nitrates interact in the body shows why diet matters.
Oxygen molecules in our bodies constantly split, forming free radicals.
These unstable chemicals can damage cells, DNA, and proteins if not kept in check – a process called oxidative stress.
Antioxidants neutralise free radicals, preventing damage and reducing risks of chronic conditions like cancer and, potentially, dementia.
Vegetables are rich in antioxidants, whereas processed meats and nitrate-laden water are not.
The Bigger Picture on Dementia
Currently, around 900,000 people in the UK live with dementia, with numbers expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, primarily due to Alzheimer’s disease.
Alarmingly, over a third of people with dementia remain undiagnosed, highlighting the importance of lifestyle and dietary choices in potentially reducing risk.
Practical Takeaways
While nitrates are essential, the source matters.
Eating more vegetables, reducing processed and red meat, and maintaining a healthy diet overall appear to be the safest approach.
Drinking water is still crucial for health, but these findings may guide future regulations to ensure long-term brain health.
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