How to reduce nitrates in early vegetables

With the appearance of early vegetables, everyone starts talking about nitrates. In fact, when growing these crops, specific fertilizers are used, but if the plants are grown in industrial greenhouses, then only in compliance with technology. Large manufacturers monitor the content of nitrates in products, they are always within the norm.

If we talk about how to reduce the content of nitrates in the products we eat, then, for example, nitrates accumulate in the lower part of root vegetables. Therefore, when eating radishes and beets, cut off the bottom. If it is greens, nitrates accumulate in the stems and veins, so it is preferable to eat only the leaves. Peel cucumbers and zucchini - it contains the most nitrates.

In addition, nitrates disappear from vegetables during heat treatment and cooking.

If early vegetable crops are kept at a temperature of 2-3 degrees, then in 2 weeks the amount of nitrates decreases by 40%. Among other things, they disappear during marinating and salting.

Important to know!

Nitrates are salts of nitric acid (saltpeter) that are present in vegetables and fruits. Nitrates have existed long before humans appeared. And yet, discussions about the negative impact of nitrates on human health continue to this day. It is important to understand that the problem is not the nitrates themselves, but the amount that enters the body. According to the WHO decision, a safe level for humans is considered to be 5 mg of nitrates per 1 kg of body weight. In other words, an adult can receive up to 350 mg of nitrates without any negative consequences for well-being.

Plants have the ability to absorb significantly more nitrogen compounds from fertilized soil than they need for development. Subsequently, only part of the nitrates takes part in the synthesis of plant proteins, and the remaining amount of nitrates enters the body in pure form through the consumption of fruits, roots and leaves of vegetables. Subsequently, some nitrates are quickly excreted from the body, and others form all sorts of chemical compounds. Some of these compounds are harmless and can even be useful for the body, but others turn back into nitric acid, and it is this process that poses a danger to human health. Nitrates enter into a chemical reaction with blood hemoglobin, as a result of which red blood cells lose the ability to saturate cells with oxygen. As a result, there is a metabolic disorder, the development of nervous system disorders, and a weakening of the body's protective functions. In addition to all this, nitrates reduce the content of vitamins in food. Their regular intake into the human body, including in small doses, reduces the amount of iodine, which leads to an increase in the thyroid gland. It has been established that nitrates, among other things, are associated with an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal tract tumors and dysbacteriosis. Based on the above, it can be said that the harm of nitrates to human health is indisputable.

It is also important to know in which parts of plants nitrates accumulate the most. In cabbage, nitrates accumulate in the leaves, in carrots - in the core, in peppers - in the upper seed part. Potatoes, cucumbers and zucchini are unsafe due to their skin, so it must be cut off as thickly as possible. The same is recommended for melons and watermelons. Favorites in terms of nitrate content among vegetables are beets and radishes. In general, safety measures are as follows: all vegetable crops and fruits should be eaten as ripe as possible, although the nitrate content in dried fruits can increase several times. When boiling potatoes, the first water can be drained. Greens (dill, parsley, spinach) - before eating, it is recommended to keep them in cool water for an hour. To minimize the harm of nitrates to health, take vitamin C and drink more tea - they remove nitrates from the body.

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