What Are Processed Meats?
Foods containing nitrites/nitrates or other preservatives and additives. Read your ingredient labels and look for “nitrite” or Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Erythorbate, and/or Sodium Nitrate. These ingredients are commonly found in pork products [ham, bacon, sausages], bologna, wieners, or any luncheon meat [beef, chicken, pork, turkey] containing additives or preservatives. Other sources are non-fat dried milk and smoked fish. Why Are These Products Considered To Be Harmful? We are told that sodium nitrate is added to processed meats to protect consumers from botulism as well as to enhance a product’s taste and color. While nitrates themselves are harmless, they are readily converted to nitrites. When these nitrites combine with compounds called secondary amines, they form nitrosamines, extremely powerful cancer-causing chemicals. Nitrosamines lock into the DNA and form mutagens, promoting the development of cancer. Nitrosamines have been found to cause different types of cancer in animal
